To Make Something of Yourself
by DreamingZombies
Summary: It is a miracle that Tsuna is able to cope with a broken family, a lousy social life and bullying without giving into his depression. But when he meets a strange baby, he is offered a chance to make something of himself. However, he's getting a lot more than he had bargained for.
1. They Called Him Dame Tsuna

_**PLEASE READ EDIT:**__** Just to clarify, this story is NOT ROMANTICALLY CENTERED. There seems to be a dispute amongst my reviewers about this, so I'm going to clarify it here. Yes, there will be straight pairing hints, and there will also be boy love pairing hints. But that's all they will be: just hints. I'm not going to toss in any kiss scenes or actual romantic scenes that stem beyond an innocent almost-date-hangout. I'm sorry if that's not what you guys want, but I'm not a romance writer: I wrote this story for the angst, tragedy, and action. Disregard any later Author's Notes about the pairings because they will ONLY be hints. If you want romance, I'm sorry, but there will be close to none in this fic. I do hope you enjoy it nonetheless. **_

**Oh haha, oops! I ended up writing a new story, but the idea came in my head, and I just couldn't let it go. I know I'm supposed to work on my Pokemon fanfic, but I'm lacking serious inspiration for it. So I need some time on other stuff. I'm going through a huge fangasm over KHR right now, and I wanted to write…a darker story for it. There's violence, angst, depression, hurt/comfort, romance…the sorts. Just note this story will have a darker tone to it, at least at first. It's mostly a hurt and comfort story. Probably not much humor until it picks up, since most of the characters will be pretty harsh or depressed. Not Ryohei though. We all know that guy is an infinite ball of sunshine. Hah! **

**Name's Alexie, for those of you who don't know me. (Which I'm guessing you don't.) **

**As a result, OOC may occur at first, but I promise the characters will become more like themselves as I get the initial bits of the story development done. **

**Please read and review! **

**Summary:**** It is a miracle that Tsunayoshi Sawada is able to cope with a dysfunctional family, a lousy social life and constant bullying without giving into his suicidal depression. But when he meets a strange baby claiming to be a renowned hitman, he is offered a chance to make something of himself. This story will contain both yaoi and straight pairings. **

**Warnings:**** Minimal violence, depression **

**Disclaimer:**** KHR is too amazing to belong to me. **

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><p><em>Chapter 1: They Called Him Dame-Tsuna<em>

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><p>A small click snapped, and the front door of the Sawada household groaned open. A cool and stale draft rushed out the door. The young, brunette occupant of the house shuffled in, closing the door quietly behind him. He was greeted with darkness, and after fumbling for the switch, the feeble yellowing lights of the hallway flickered on.<p>

Dull caramel eyes scanned the hallways, although the dark house was already indication that Nana Sawada was not home yet. She probably was working overtime tonight as well, as with every night of the work week. Her son was accustomed to coming home to a silent and lonely house.

Sighing, the brunet shuffled upstairs, tripping on the last step, adding another bruise to his battered body. With a wince, he pushed himself back onto his feet, stumbling to the bathroom. He clumsily flicked the lights on, greeting his reflection in the mirror.

Tsunayoshi Sawada stared back at the battered, bruised and bloodied boy in front of him. It was an image he was all too familiar with. A messy patch of brown hair framed a skinny and gaunt face. Although the brunet was just in his mid teens, he already felt like an old man, if the dark bags under his eyes were any indication. Dulled puddles of caramel were what he called eyes, which stared hollowly back at him. His lips were cracked, bleeding in some parts.

His shaking hand gingerly brushed against one of the small scrapes along his cheek, and the familiar sting of pain followed. Tsunayoshi reached for the mirror cabinet, opening it to a shelf filled with medicines and first aid tools. He reached mindlessly for the Tylenol, popping off the cap and taking one of the small pills out. He swallowed it dry, feeling the sickly bulge of his throat as the medicine went down. He moved to recap the little plastic bottle, but stopped. Staring at the pills, Tsunayoshi felt himself detach from the world momentarily. How easy it would be to just consume another, and another, and another...and end all the pain, the suffering, the sadness. He turned the bottle over, pouring a mass of Tylenol into his quivering palm. He reached for another, holding it up to his mouth, readying to pop it into his mouth. At that moment, his cellphone rang.

In his shock, he dropped all the pills, heart pounding in his chest. He blinked, retrieving a battered phone from his wrinkled pants pocket. His fumbling fingers flipped the phone open, and Tsunayoshi held it to his ear, almost as if it were a lifeline.

"Hello?"

"Tsu-kun?"

The familiar and comforting voice immediately began to soothe his nerves. "Hey Mom..."

Silence followed for a moment. Tsunayoshi knew his mother heard the fatigue, the pain, the defeat in his voice. He also knew she would not comment on it. "I'll be coming home earlier tonight. Is there something you'd like me to pick up for dinner on the way back?"

Tsunayoshi really missed his mother's cooking. He could not ask her to, as she always came home so exhausted, and cooking was just adding to her chores, much as she loved the hobby. "Anything is fine. Whatever is easier for you," he replied dully. He could almost feel his mother nod on the other end as she replied, "Okie-doke! Be back in two hours then! I love you, Tsu-kun." Her voice had softened at the end, sounding like it was accompanied by a smile. Knowing Nana, she probably was smiling, as she always found a reason to stay happy.

"Love you too, Mom," Tsunayoshi choked. "By-See you later," he amended, hanging up. He shoved the phone back into his pocket before bending down and picking up the scattered pills. He dumped them back into plastic container, sealing it off again. Reopening the cabinet, the brunet stashed the pills back into their spot, grabbing his mother's makeup bag and a box of bandaids instead. The teenager turned on the shower faucet, allowing it to run as he undressed. Once the water was warm enough, he stepped in, allowing his sore muscles and open wounds to be washed over by the steaming liquid. He hissed at the initial pain, but soon fell into the soothing feeling of the cycle of water raining upon him.

His mother had taken care of him for fourteen years, always trying her best to support the two person household. She worked two jobs, and aside from her daily phone calls, Tsunayoshi barely got to see her. He catches a glimpse of her in the morning when she dutifully wakes up her oversleeping son for school, and perhaps hear her return at late hours at night. Actually having a meal with his mother was a rare treat that happened, on average, once a week on Sunday when neither son nor mother had work or school. It was obvious how hard it was for Nana Sawada to raise her son herself; her husband was rarely around, and Tsunayoshi hated him for it. That good-for-nothing father only showed his sorry ass every few years or so, as he worked overseas for some oil company. Or so he claims. The slob barely pays for child support. He did not even call for holidays or birthdays, not even send gifts or some indication of his existence. Whenever Tsunayoshi saw his father, it was always just for a few days, and the man was almost always passed out from drinking too much sake. Once, his grandfather came along, and while the visit was very pleasant, Tsuna was suspicious as to how his father found time to go get his grandfather before coming back to Namimori. His father was an embarrassment and burden, and the brunet could not understand why his mother still bound herself to him. The teenager was ashamed to have his genetics in him; those genes were probably the reason why Tsunayoshi was a helpless failure.

Every bit of his nickname "Dame-Tsuna" made sense to him. The brunet kept a consistent average score of 10% on all of his assignments and tests, had two left feet, stuttered when he talked, had the athletic ability of a snail and the body of a thin, dying tree. There was no one he could consider a friend, or even an acquaintance really. The only person he had any association with was his mother. He was hopelessly in love with his class's idol, Kyoko Sasagawa, who had spoken to him but once when she thanked him for picking up her pencil for her. She was perhaps the only reason he had yet to drop out of school; to see that smile or hear that laugh of hers brought a little joy to his pitiful existence each day. He was withdrawn, weak, cowardly, and dull. There was nothing he could claim to fame except for the beatings he received from school bullies every day without fail. The brunet was beginning to wonder if maybe his bruises were permanent.

Pondering his pathetic self, Tsunayoshi cleansed himself, cleaning his wounds gently as he went. He turned off the water, running a towel through his impossibly messy mass of caramel locks. No matter how much he tried, his hair would alway spike up. He looked at his complexion in the mirror again.

"I can't do that to Mom...I can't be the one to destroy her smile..." Tsunayoshi murmured to himself. Committing suicide would destroy Nana Sawada, who clearly cared for her son at insane levels. He dressed his wounds, opening up the makeup bag and pulling out the concealer. He might be the only boy in school who knew how to apply makeup, and this depressed him. But it was vital. Within minutes, he had hid the major bruises on his face quite well. At least he did not have a black eye this time. That took more effort to conceal.

Satisfied, he wrapped a towel around his waist, limping to his room. He tossed on a pair of boxer shorts and a set of pajamas, collapsing onto his bed. Why bother with homework? He would not understand any of it anyways. Class time was for sleeping away the restless nights of nightmares and crying. Nothing coming out of the teacher's mouth made sense to him, and they had given up offering the brunet any kind of help.

He had not realized that he had fallen asleep until he felt a gentle hand shaking him out of a dark world of sleep.

"Tsu-kun, Tsu-kun! Wake up, I have dinner!"

Tsunayoshi opened his eyes to the bright smile that kept him chained to this world. He could not help but return one, feeble and sleepy as it was. It was the least he could do for his strong-willed mother. Sitting up, the brunet was careful not to wipe off the concealer as he rubbed his tired eyes. He stumbled to his feet, trying not to show his limp. His mother smiled again, gesturing him downstairs. Tsunayoshi was hard pressed not to trip and fall, and managed to get to the dinner table without a hitch. He sat down to Chinese take out boxes. His mother knew that he enjoyed Chinese food whenever they had a chance, and the teenager thanked her silently in his head.

Nana Sawada studied her son. The occasion "family" dinner gave her a chance to talk to her son. What could she say? How was school? Would you like to invite friends over on the weekend? How are your grades? Are those bullies still bothering you?

But she knew the answers to all them. And they never failed to yank at her heart strings a little, whether he chose to lie or not. She could see the depressed look in his eyes, the bruises under the heavy layer of concealer, the new bandages that appeared on his skin each day, and the failing test scores he always tried to hide. She even saw his phone contacts list once, and the only numbers he had listed were hers and the school nurse's. Of course she had tried to help him, but her son always brushed it off with that fake, pained smile of his, insisting he was fine and that she should worry about her own work and stress.

It really hurt her to see him like this. So she did little things here and there, like ordering his favorite food, leaving him a chocolate on the counter before going to work or taking him out to someplace fun on their rare escapades. Work got in the way of her caring for her son, but she could not give him the basic necessities of life without it. She just wished she could show her love to him more too.

"How's the food?" she chirped, deciding on a topic that she could get a response out of.

Biting into some orange chicken, Tsuna smiled, "It's good. Really good. Thanks." It would taste better if you made it, he wanted to say, but there was no way he would ever force it from his mouth. Nana beamed, seeing her son smile. Timidly, she tested the waters. "How's your wound? What happened?" she asked, pointing at the bandage on his cheek.

Tsunayoshi stopped chewing. He ran through the list of excuses he had compiled over the years. He just used tripping over a crack last time, and a nasty run in with the neighbor's vicious chihuahua(or at least he saw as vicious) the time before.

"I ran into a tree while I was walking. Wasn't looking and I guess one of the branches scraped me."

Nana nodded. She knew he was lying, but she allowed her son to slip by with the pretense. The brunet continued eating as his mother scrutinized him.

"Hey Tsuna..." she started. The teenager, looked up, surprised. His mother never used his shorter name unless she had something important to say. "Are you sure you're ok?"

Thoughts about his earlier attempt at suicide flashed through his mind. " O-of course," he stuttered. Nana frowned, and Tsuna's expression dropped as well. He wanted that smile back. "It's fine Mom. I manage, right? Please, just take care of yourself. You're always working so hard. That's all I really need. Thank you," he flashed her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

It was not.

"If you'd like, I can call in sick for you tomorrow and you can rest for the day. Tomorrow is Saturday, so you can have that and Sunday off from school. How about it?" Nana smiled sweetly.[1] Tsuna blinked, considering it. The last time he took a day off from school because of a particularly bad "accident," the bullies had hit twice as hard the day he returned. Slowly, he shook his head, the corners of his mouth managing to tweak up just the slightest bit. "No. It's fine. I'll go to school tomorrow. We can do something on Sunday, eh?" he asked, eyes slightly hopeful.

"Of course, of course! How about a picnic? I heard the weather this weekend would be really nice. I'll cook us something to eat and we can just enjoy a nice day outside, alright?" prattled the bright mother eagerly, and her enthusiasm proved to be contagious. Tsuna cracked a true smile, nodding with energy. "That sounds…really really good. Thanks Mom. Can we really?"

"Of course!" she laughed, tenderly continuing, "Anything for my Tsu-kun," she tilted her head to the side, smiling thoughtfully at him. "Take care of yourself ok? I'm sorry…I can't be around to help you mo-"

"You're already doing more than enough," croaked the brunet, stopping his mother's guilty rambling in its tracks. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." It seemed like a mantra by now, to reassure his mother of his false happiness. Really, who did he think he was fooling? He knew his mother was not buying into his lies, yet she accepted them unconditionally. It hurt him too.

Nana pursed her lips, somehow curving the corners up into her bright smile again. Oh how Tsuna loved seeing that smile. They ate the rest of their dinner in relative silence, bits of idle chatter picking up every so often.

Helping his mother with the dishes felt good, even if Tsuna's muscles and bruises were protesting, begging his body to sleep. There really was no point, as they would hurt tenfold the next day. Deciding to rise earlier to ice down his wounds, the teenager toddled off to the bed, setting the alarm to ring early, even if it always failed in its duty to wake him up.

So it was no wonder that Tsuna rushed off to school the next day, late and in pain.

He grabbed his daily piece of chocolate from the counter, noting that it had a caramel center today, as well as a piece of toasted bread that he had slathered butter onto hurriedly. His mom left a note saying she would be working until midnight today, and left him money to pick up some dinner.

The teenager arrived late, as usual. The teachers have long since gave up on yelling at the tardy student, and ignored him as he shuffled sheepishly into the classroom each day, uniform disheveled. Tsuna ignored the judgmental, leering eyes of his classmates as he made his way over to the conspicuous seat in the middle of the room. He glanced at Kyoko in the corner of his eye, catching her smile as she listened to the teacher's instructions. A warmth rushed through him as he sat down, but in his flustered haste, he managed to spill the contents of his book bag all over the ground. The teacher did not even bother turning around, as they occurrence happened quite frequently. Face flushed red, Tsuna bent down to retrieve his items while his classmates giggled behind their hands, the ones nearby deliberately kicking his possessions further away.

Shoulders drooping, Tsuna crawled to retrieved the abused items, earning himself some trodden-on fingers. He made no sound, and quickly slipped back into his seat once he had all his things stuffed back into his bag, nursing his fingers. He slumped in his seat, zoning out of the teacher's lesson.

He felt a gentle prodding on his arm, and ignored it, brushing it off as common harassment. When it persisted, he turned around with a small sigh and came face to face with…

Kyoko.

Red blossomed across his face, thankfully covered by the concealer, and the auburn female flashed a charming smile, holding up a pen sheepishly. "This is yours right?" she whispered, trying not to disturb the lesson.

Tsuna blinked. And blinked again. Was he dreaming? Was Kyoko talking to him? Forget that, was she HELPING him?

He found his head nodding involuntarily, and he reached up to take the pen, his fingers brushing against hers momentarily. His face grew more flushed, and he was hoping the concealer managed to hide the blush that heated up his face, as it felt strong enough to burst through. "T-th-thanks…" he muttered, head looking down shyly.

Kyoko giggled, "You're welcome, Sawada-kun."

Oh my god. She said his name.

Tsuna feared he was about to pass out; he was glad he had decided to come to school today after all. He sat through the rest of the lesson in a daze, only gazing at the pen that Kyoko had graced her touch on. He was completely oblivious to the pair of dark, leering eyes just a few seats back.

Until lunch.

The school bell rang, releasing the students from their classes for a long awaited lunch. They were glad to meet with friends in other classes to mingle and chat as they eat their lunches. Tsuna did not care for lunch. He stayed in his seat, laid his head down, and tried to catch some sleep. He always woke up too late to make a lunch, and asking his mother for lunch was out of the question. He fished the caramel chocolate out of his pocket, unwrapping it forlornly. He bit into it, gazing at the gooey center as he relished the taste. His eyes matched the sweet caramel in color, but Tsuna was jealous of it, silly as it was. He felt caramel looked warm and happy; he just looked like a pathetic mess.

He had just stuffed the rest of the chocolate into his mouth when his head was jostled by someone slamming their fist into his table. He sat up immediately, nervous anticipation shooting down his spine. Bullies never bothered him at lunch. Maybe today was a bad day afterall?

"Oi. Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna traced muscled arms up to the face of their owner. He cringed slightly as he met the dark furious eyes of Kensuke Mochida, an older boy in his class.[2] His test scores were almost as low as Tsuna's, which resulted in him repeating his classes. Despite that, being known as the captain of the Namimori Middle School's kendo club gave Mochida the respect and fear of the student body for his prowess and influence.

It was also a known fact that he had his eyes set on Kyoko Sasagawa.

"What was shit like you talking to Kyoko for?" he sneered, causing Tsuna to flinch.

"Sh-she was j-just give…helping me. M-my pen…"

"She's way out of your league. It was pathetic watching you talk to her. Like complete trash," Mochida interrupted, and Tsuna closed his mouth fearfully. The kendoka cracked his fists in an apparent show of intimidation, and smirked, "Stay away from her if you know what's good for you. Not that you'll ever stand a chance with anyone, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna winced several times as Mochida stabbed him with his derogatory spiel, particularly at his cursed nickname. He hated that name so much, as begrudgingly true as it was. He gave a smal, timidl nod, and satisfied, the older teen stalked away, giving high-fives to some of his friends.

Shaking, Tsuna laid his head down again, squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly, any ecstasy he felt earlier was gone, replaced by fatigue and loneliness. No, today was definitely not a good day. He was ready for school to end, so he can attempt (and fail) to sneak past the bullies and get home unharmed. Maybe he could try a different route out of school, or maybe if he stayed around later, he could avoid them. Yeah, that sounded like a good plan.

When the school bell rang, Tsuna made his way to the bathroom, locking himself inside one of the stalls, pulling his feet up onto the toliet seat. He could not go to the library for fear of scorn, and wandering aimlessly around the halls after hours was just inviting the school's infamous prefect, Kyouya Hibari, to "bite him to death." Tsuna never did understand why the raven-haired delinquent constantly threatened his prey with that phrase. As far as he knew, Hibari never actually bit anyone, but the beating he delivered with his steel tonfas were harsh enough to hospitalize someone. In fact, people HAVE been hospitalize by said harassment.

He stared at the bathroom door, rereading the vandalism scrawled in pen across the plastic stall. Swear words were a common appearance, and some boys had taken to drawing crude pictures. How they got away with that while Hibari was around was beyond him. Then again, it never struck Tsuna for Hibari to be willing to walk into the stinky washroom. Much to Tsuna's displeasure, some of the scribbled comments were about him. Some were just typical rude comments, but some remarked on his blunders of the day.

/hahaha! Dame-Tsuna got a 2 on his Jap test! Rofl what fail/

/funniest shit. D-T tripped over a basketball today in gym/

/the time he smacked his head on the teacher's desk was funnier/

About a third of the comments were about him, and that was rather disheartening. Still, he sat there, glancing at his phone occasionally to check the time. Deciding that an hour was good enough, the brunet timidly emerged from his stall when he was sure no one else was around. He rushed to the door, opening it to get out of the school. Good, maybe the bullies were gon-

"Hey hey hey! It's Dame-Tsuna! We were wondering where you were!"

Freezing in his steps proved to be foolish as his arms were immediately grabbed, and Tsuna felt himself being hauled back into the bathroom. He gasped when he was slammed against the wall, and the face of the leader of the bullies was all he saw, a malicious grin plastered across it. "So you were hiding in the bathroom all this time? Were you crying like a little girl? Cute," he cackled, earning a frightened shake of Tsuna's head. Two beady brown eyes bore into the terrified brunet, and the bully cracked his lips into snide grin.

"You know, I'm kinda glad you were in here. There's something I've been meaning to try on you…"

A few minutes later, the bullies emerged from the bathroom, howling with laughter at their latest job. Tsuna would not come out for another half hour, shivering and crying in the corner, drenched in filthy toliet water. He vowed never to try staying after school. Ever. Again.

His concealer had come off, and after feverishly throwing water onto his head to at least feel a bit cleaner, he wiped off the makeup, staring at the ugly bruises on his face, in addition to the new black eye he was sporting. The bandage had came off, and blood was trickling from the scrape again, and old scabs had reopened. The eyes staring back at him in the mirror were hollow and lifeless, and the Tylenol pills flashed back across his mind.

"No no!" he yelled, teeth chattering. Tsuna gripped the edges of the porcelain sink tightly with his shivering hands to the point that his knuckles turned white. "M-mom…said we w-were going to have a p-picnic tomorrow. Y-yea…tomorrow will be better. I'll s-see…" Tears began to fall again, and the brunet hastily wiped them, but they kept spilling. Giving up, he just walked out of the bathroom as the mess he was. Pitiful. Pathetic. Typical Dame-Tsuna. He did not care, as no one was going to help him either way. More like they would gawk at him, or laugh. Pills again. Picnic. Pills. Picnic. The two options flashed through his mind to the point that Tsuna thought he was going insane.

With a shuffled limp, Tsuna slowly made his way home, trying to contain the hiccups. Salty tears pricked at his wounds, but the pain was insignificant to him at the moment. His lungs burned; he must have inhaled some water while he was forced into the toliet bowl. Ignoring staring passersby, he continued on his way, bitterly laughing in his head how no one seemed to want to help him. That was to be expected.

A sharp and familiar voice broke him out of his thoughts. "What's that, you brat?" He jumped, eyes widening in terror when he thought the voice was directed at him. His eyes scanned his surroundings until he saw his tormentors in a nearby alley. He was relieved to see that they had not noticed him, and was about to make a run for it when he noticed someone within their predatory circle.

A small boy, looking no older than a day past two, was peering up at the bullies with innocent-looking black eyes. For a baby, he was dressed in really strange attire; he donned a crisp black suit with an orange dress shirt and black tie. A stylish orange-rimmed fedora hat topped his head, covering everything by a few spikes of black hair and two strange curly sideburns. Hanging from his chest was clear, delicate-looking yellow pacifier, and the baby held an unusual green gun in his hand.

"You heard me. You're all in my way," the baby piped up, gazing at the gang with glinting onyx eyes, his voice unbelievably squeaky and nasally.

"Are you asking for a death wish or something, shitty baby?" the leader spat, cracking his knuckles. Tsuna watched on in mute horror and wanted to run away. Right now. If he stayed, he would be caught up in another beating. He did not know if he could handle another torturous experience today.

The baby only smiled, tipping his fedora up with his gun. "I believe that should be directed at you."

The gang's expressions were of pure anger and malice, and one of the bullies raised his foot to kick the baby. "You're asking for it, you little dick!"

/Run, run, run!/ Tsuna screamed at himself, finally willing his feet to move. But they were not running away from the group.

They were headed towards the baby and his attackers.

What in hell's name WAS he doing?

"S-stop!" Tsuna cried out, grabbing the jacket of the bully who was poised to kick. The teen stumbled back, losing his footing, and crashed into Tsuna. The brunet yelped at his agitated wounds, and staggered back. He gulped, noticing all eyes were on him.

"What the hell is this? Are you stupid or something, Dame-Tsuna?" the leader laughed, sending chills up Tsuna's back. He began to shake again, eyes only trained on the gang, not noticing the surprised look in the baby's watching eyes. "Did you not have enough fun with us already? Man, you're one messed up kid."

Tsuna took a step back, suddenly regretting his decision. "Guess we can add you into the pile. We'll kick the shit out of you, along with this cheeky brat."

At this, the brunet, flinched, but managed to stutter, "L-leave him a-alone…he…he's just a kid!" Why in the world was he defending a kid? Why would be risk…no, ENSURE another beating to save a random brat who was provoking the gang by his own will? Screw that freeble compassion of his. At the moment, Tsuna only felt terror, and nothing but. Before he knew it, he was grabbed by his lapel, and pulled into the foreboding alley. He was slammed into a wall again, and began to cough violently from the force this time.

"Dame-Tsuna, what did you think you could do? Hah, scum like you don't even understand your place! You're weak, pathetic, and the biggest loser in the whole town of Namimori. Watching you is just amusing." The gang leader raised a fist, grinning, "But I think giving you another black eye would probably be even funnier. You'll look just like a stupid panda! A weak, spineless, and pathetic herbivore."[3]

Tsuna glanced down at the kid, and the baby blinked when he saw all the emotions in the brunet's dulling caramel eyes. Pain. Resentfulness. Terror. Fatigue. Sorrow.

Relief. Relief that he had saved a kid for the time being, whether the kid deserved it not. Relief that he managed to do something right.

And the baby smiled. Maybe his search was over faster than he thought. He cocked his gun in one fluid motion, aiming up at Tsuna. The brunet's eyes widened, and betrayal flashed across through those muddled emotions. A deafening bang pierced through the air as a bullet lodged itself into Tsuna's forehead, a spray of blood splashing onto the bullie's face. He screamed, recoiling as his prey's limp body crashed into the floor. His cronies were stammering in shock, and one managed to finally form a coherent sentence. "T-the brat! Shot Dame-Tsuna! Is he-?"

The leader fell to the ground, whimpering in terror as he stared at Tsuna's lifeless body. The baby only smirked at the immobilized bullies, his only interest in the boy he had shot in front of him.

Pain. Then nothing. Nothing but darkness and sweet, numb oblivion. Tsuna felt his body disappear, only his mind remaining. This was what he had been waiting for. Death. Peaceful, painless death, to at last be free of all his problems and that horrible existence he called his life. He was happy. Happy to finally be free.

Yet…

Regret.

There was regret in his heart. Small, but it was there.

/I wish I could have gone to that picnic with Mom…she promised to cook. To finally cook…and we were supposed to have a good time. Just the two of us. I regret not having that chance to do that with her again./

It seemed to open up the floodgates. Regret after regret poured into his mind, and Tsuna became overwhelmed by just how much he would miss if he was gone.

/I regret not having a person I can call my friend./

/I regret not having spoken to Kyoko, and not having confessed to her./

/I regret that dying would cause my mother a lot of pain, and that she would be the only one who would care if I lived or not./

/I regret that I would be the one to destroy that beautiful smile on Mom's face./

/I regret that all her hard work would have gone to waste, and I would have left her alone without our useless father./

/I regret not having given my father a piece of my mind about leaving me and Mom alone all the time./

/I regret not standing up to those bullies. For myself. For others./

/I regret not being a good student in school, and being disappointing to Mom./

/I regret being me./

/I regret not being able to change things./

"But you can change things," a voice broke through his lamenting. It was the baby. "Dame-Tsuna doesn't have to be Dame-Tsuna. So fight. Fight for yourself with your Dying Will."

At those words, Tsuna's eyes snapped opened, and he gasped. A sudden heat surged through his limbs, concentrating into the bullet wound in his head. Strangely enough, the hole did not hurt, and instead, the wound closed with a flash of orange fire. The flame stayed on his head, and Tsuna found a sudden strength coursing through his body. He had never felt anything like this before! The powerful flame shot through the rest of his body, and the pressure seemed to explode from every pore of his body. Sounds of tearing clothes could be heard, but Tsuna paid no mind. The regrets ran rampant in his mind, and right now, his only concern was fixing them.

He would start with getting back at those bullies.

Said bullies had been reduced to blubbering messes, but the leader spiked up his courage to order his cronies to fight. Before they could even make a move, Tsuna was upon them, grabbing two of them and pushing them against a wall. With the tables turned, the bullies stared fearfully at the half-naked brunet before them, frozen by the piercing fire in the teen's eyes. When Tsuna spoke, it held none of the quiet, withdrawn stuttering they were accustomed to. The sound of his voice was a deafening blare, and they winced at his tirade.

"YOU WILL LEAVE THE ME AND THE KID ALONE FROM NOW ON. GOT IT?" the brunet roared. The bullies screamed, nodding vigorously. Tsuna let them go, and they ran away with their tails between their legs. The others ran for it too, terrified of the fiery-headed boy they had once marked as their prey. All that remained was the leader, who was sneering, albeit nervously. "I'm not afraid of scum like you. Once Dame-Tsuna, always Dame-Tsuna!" he laughed, but it did not sound like he was convinced of his own words. He raised a fist, throwing it recklessly at the brunet's face, but was met with one of Tsuna's small hands. Catching the punch with no effort at all, Tsuna roared, "STOP IT. YOU WILL LEAVE ME ALONE FROM NOW ON."

"Wh-what is that?" the leader growled, trying to throw another punch. Tsuna caught this punch too, face lit with passionate fury. With both fists trapped in his hands, the brunet began to squeeze. Hard. The bully cried out in alarmed pain, trying to retract his fists, but to no avail.

"PROMISE TO LEAVE ME ALONE FROM NOW ON. I WILL NOT STAND FOR ANYMORE OF YOU AND YOUR GANG!" the enraged brunet shouted again. When the leader did not answer, Tsuna continued to squeeze his hands viciously, until they were turning purple. Finally the terrified ex-predator screeched, "F-fine fine fine! I give! Let g-go! I-I'll leave y-you alone!"

Tsuna unclenched his hands, and the leader immediately ran, clutching his hands to his chest. Panting heavily, the teen's eyes began to lose its fire, returning to warm caramel. The fire dissipated into the air, leaving a flawless forehead behind. The pain returned to Tsuna's body, and he yelped, leaning into the brick wall. He finally noticed that his shirt had become torn, and his pants had somehow been ripped from his legs as well. Even his shoes had flown off, and the only thing still giving him some shred of dignity was his cartoon boxer shorts.

Flabbergasted, the brunet gasped, "W-wha just happened?"

"You just used your Dying Will, Dame-Tsuna," piped up a squeaky voice. Said teenager snapped his head down, eyes bulging at the smiling baby before him. Clutching tightly to the brick wall behind him, Tsuna held on to avoid his legs crumbling from shock. "Dy-dying wi-"

"That bullet I just shot you with unleashed your inner Dying Will. Basically, you just fought with all the strength unlocked within you to defend final regrets you may have had when you died," the baby explained, smirking.

Poor Tsuna was having major difficulties taking in the information at the time. He gestured to his clothes, unable to form coherent words.

"Side effects of unleashing your Dying Will, you can say," the baby laughed.

Tsuna's eye twitched, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He could always ask for clarification later. "W-who are you?"

Suavely, the baby tilted his fedora back up with his gun, smiling. The gun glowed in technicolor, and a chameleon took its place, slithering up to the brim of the hat. A lazy smile flashed from its reptilian lips.

"My name is Reborn, and I'm a hitman from the Vongola mafia family in Italy. You can say I'm the greatest hitman in the world right now." Reborn smirked, clearly pleased by the dumbfounded expression on Tsuna's face. "And you, Dame-Tsuna, I have taken an interest to. I have a proposition for you."

Tada! So that's Chapter 1 for you. I hope it was a good read? I originally started this with the pills scene, and was not quite sure where to go from there. But as I wrote, everything just seemed to…click, you know? I was really excited by the end because everything fit together so perfectly. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this! I'll update with Chapter 2 whenever I get ideas. Most likely, that will be when Gokudera makes his entrance. I'm still thinking about how exactly I want to craft that…hm…

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><p><strong>I apologize if this just seems like a rewritten version of KHR. It…kinda is. LOL. But I'll try to make it interesting and different. <strong>

**[1]From what I remember, some schools in Japan have 6 day weeks, so Saturday is also a school day. Their days are shorter though, I think, and classes start later in the day. **

**[2]Hm I know Mochida-senpai is supposed to be in a grade higher, but let's just pretend he shares homeroom with Tsuna. Haha. **

**[3]For panda enthusiasts who may have been offended by my statement, I want to set the record straight that I DO love pandas. But if you actually look at their temperament, they're really weak and lazy creatures. They don't do much other than eat bamboo…really. Pandas are rather pathetic. But they're endangered and adorable, so that's why we love them. **

**Till next time, please review, so I know if I'm doing something right, or if people are actually interested in seeing this story continue. Story alerts are another way I know people are interested! Thanks guys~! **

**~Alexie**


	2. The World's Greatest Hitman

**Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, alerts, and faves! I really appreciate it. ;u; Question:If someone adds a story to their favorites, will they get alerts on the story updates as well? I've been wondering this for a while now, so if someone can answer, I'd really appreciate it! Also, if there are pairings you guys like, tell me what they are! :'D**

**Expect quick updates at first, since when I start a story, I tend to vomit ideas and chapters out like mad until I start losing interest. Hopefully that won't happen too fast, but expect at least 3 – 5 chapters before I start slowing down and procrastinating like crazy, hah. Whenever I have break, I update a little faster too. Since Thanksgiving just ended, updates will be slow, regardless if I want to write or not.**

**This chapter is longer: nearly 10,000 words! It was too short at first, so I added some bits and pieces into it, but then it ended up coming out really long. I was having trouble with the picnic scene, so Haha! Tell me if you think these chapters are too long though; I tend to like to write between 5,000-10,000 words per chapter for my fics. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoy this next chapter! Please read and review! **

**Last Chapter: Tsuna comtemplated suicide, but fought against his depression in order to live for his mother. A particularly nasty run-in with a gang at his school the next day leaves him brutally injured. However, when he sees the same tormentors harassing a baby, Tsuna steps in to defend the child. With unexpected help from a mysterious power given to him by Reborn, the baby, Tsuna fights off the bullies, and sparks interest within the little infant hitman. **

**Warnings: Slight language, depression, implied mature content**

**Disclaimer: If KHR belonged to me, the girls would be more powerful.**

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><p><em>Chapter 2: The World's Greatest Hitman<em>

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><p>The baby's mouth was moving, and he was definitely saying something, but Tsuna could not hear a word he uttered. He must have been going into shock.<p>

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna, are you listening?" Reborn suddenly piped up. When he received no answer, the infant jumped up and smacked the brunet on top of his head. The teen yelped, clutching his head, finally losing his support and collapsing to his knees. "Ow! What was that for?" he whined. When was the last time he was able to whine without fear of being beaten up too severely?

"You weren't paying attention, Dame-Tsuna," was Reborn's simple reply. The brunet pouted, expression dropping. "My n-name...isn't D-Dame-Tsuna..." he mumbled. "It's Tsuna." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Reborn held his little hand up to his ear, feigning deafness. "Hm? I didn't hear that."

The teen sighed, raising his voice slightly. "I'm Tsuna."

Smirking, the baby still held his hand up, "I still can't hear you."

Irritation bubbled in the brunet, and his voice raised to almost shouting levels. "I'm Tsuna! Tsunayoshi Sawada!" When had he become so fearless? He immediately twisted into himself, fearful of the baby's wrath. After all that, even Tsuna realized there was something truly unusual and terrifying about the well-dressed infant before him.

Satisfied, a small chuckle passed Reborn's lips as he acknowledged the boy, although surprised interest flitted through his eyes. "Ciaossu, Tsunayoshi Sawada. Why don't we head back to your house first? I'll explain everything to you there." When he noticed the hesitation in the brunet's face, he continued, "You will offer your hospitality to me, of course." There was no suggestion of an offer, only an order. Tsuna gulped, nodding timidly before scrambling to his feet, grabbing his discarded clothes and trying to put them back on. It worked...more or less. The teen ran the rest of the way home, not wanted to see the gawks of passersby at the scandalously clad boy running through the street. Reborn hitched a ride within Tsuna's mass of hair, smiling to himself.

The teen frantically dug through his bag to retrieve his keys, jamming them into the lock and turning. He tumbled into his house, panting heavily from excessive running. His pants finally collapsed to the ground, and Tsuna's face bloomed crimson. Reborn hopped down from his head, toddling over to the stairs, hopping up them gracefully. The brunet watched, dumbfounded, and followed the baby to his room. "What are y-"

"Dame-Tsuna should go clean up," the infant interrupted, hopping onto the crumpled bed. Shoulders dropping, the teen mumbled, "C-can you please n-not call me that?"

Reborn simply laid down, chuckling, "Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see."

Dejected, Tsuna shuffled into his room to grab his PJs before going across the hall to the bathroom. He sighed, turning his eyes to the mirror. His wounds were all still there, blood smeared around his face. His black eye was swelling, and Tsuna knew there was no way he could explain that with a lie. As routine, he took another Tylenol before climbing into the shower, scrubbing his head furiously to clean it. He placed fresh bandages across his face, and was about to start applying concealer when the bathroom door suddenly slammed open. Yelping, the brunet dropped the cosmetics and staggered, back smacking the wall behind him. This only induced another pained yelp, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Dame-Tsuna, only women wear makeup. Real men display their battle scars with pride." Somehow, Reborn had kicked Tsuna's locked door open, and was now standing before the cowering teen.

"Th-these aren't battl-"

"Put that concealer away," he pointed at said product on the ground, ignoring the boy's feeble attempts at arguing otherwise. "Come back to your room. We have business to discuss." There was that authoritative tone again.

Flinching, Tsuna got painstakingly to his feet, reluctantly replacing the makeup back in the cabinet. He shuffled back to his room, closing the door behind him. A wet towel draped over his spiky hair, and the teen gazed curiously at the baby who had taken up residence on his messy bed.

"First of all, your room is a mess. You should clean it up."

Tsuna shot him a look that even kicked puppies could not compare to.

With a smirk, Reborn continued, "As I was saying earlier, I am recruiting you as a potential candidate for the position as the Tenth boss of the Vongola. I wa-"

"HIIIIII?"

Reborn stopped talking, frowning at the high pitched squeal that the teen had just unleashed. Frantic disbelief marred the boy's expression, and even the infant found it amusing. "I-I-I can't be...a m-mafia b-boss! Don't j-joke around!" Tsuna squeaked, earning him another smack from Reborn.

"I said potential candidate. I never said you would be the next boss."

"I d-don't want anything l-like that though!" Tsuna screeched. "I-I'm weak, a-and pathetic, a-and absolutely no good! And I don't want to be p-part of the mafia!"

Reborn smacked Tsuna again, ignoring the pained cries. "Dame-Tsuna doesn't have to be Dame-Tsuna," he repeated his words from earlier with a smirk. "I'm here to change that. You can change."

Tsuna was having a lot of regrets today. He really regretted saving this baby. What the hell was he talking about? The mafia? The Vongola? Tsuna being the boss of a mafia family? What a ridiculous and cruel joke. And how the hell could a freaking baby talk anyways? T-that did not matter! Tsuna was not going to be a mafia boss, or change, or stop being Da-

Another smack broke him out of his mental lamentation, and Reborn chided, "Don't think stupid thoughts. You won't stop being pathetic if you don't."

The brunet blanched, "I don't believe any of this! Is this some kind of s-sick joke?"

"Not in the slightest. I'm being completely serious." Reborn's smirk fell, and a serious glint entered those piercing onyx eyes. The teen furrowed his eyebrows, realization slowly dawning on him. Something told him Reborn was not lying.

"But why me?" Tsuna suddenly whined, caramel eyes wet and shaking. "Of all the people out there, why me?

"The Vongola is one of the most powerful families in Italy. But it had not always been a mafia family. The First boss, Giotto, had originally formed a vigilante group dedicated to eradicating crime in his town. One thing lead to another, and the family became entwined into the world of the mafia."

Tsuna only blinked, confused by the information. Reborn hopped towards the sitting teen, landing on his lap as the boy screamed. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he raised a tiny finger, jabbing the left side of Tsuna's chest with considerable force. The brunet blinked, confused curiosity filling him. "Your heart," he gave his smiling smirk, "It was your heart. You were a pathetic and pitiful sight to behold, and it was clear you feared those bullies from your shaking. Yet you stood up for a random kid on the streets without consideration for your own sorry state. Not that I needed any help," Reborn added haughtily. "That was compassion like Giotto's. If you were really Dame-Tsuna, would you have done that?"

Dumbstruck, Tsuna could only gape at Reborn's words. That was perhaps the first compliment he had gotten from anyone other than his mother. Were his silly actions really that glorified?

"Of course not. You were completely idiotic to force yourself into that situation in your state," smirked the baby. Tsuna's eyes widened. "You've been reading my thoughts?"

Reborn continued smirking.

Rubbing his towel over his hair in frustration and tossing it on the ground, Tsuna whined desperately, "This is all wrong! I can't accept something like this!"

"You don't have a choice. I was sent by the Ninth to scout for potential candidates. I decided I liked what I saw. So you will be trained by me."

Blinking, Tsuna let out a bitter laugh, "What part of this," he gestured to his battered body, "Did you like?"

Reborn smacked his arm, "Don't talk back." Tsuna shrunk back into himself, only realizing this was probably the longest conversation he had held in years. The little bit of confidence he mustered while talking with Reborn was staggering, and now it was gone again.

"And stop pulling back into yourself like that. I said I was going to change you. So stop doing that, Dame-Tsuna."

The brunet's expression dropped again, and he mumbled, "Please...not that name."

"Until you agree, I won't stop using it. But like I said, you have no choice."

Silence. Tsuna stared in disbelief, but slow resolution was forming in his mind. Reborn smirked, deciding this was a good time to continue in his explanation. "There were other heirs in line to be boss, but...they've all been eliminated." The baby watched as the brunet pale at the implication. "So the Ninth sent me to Japan to search out our next heir because he had a dream foretelling that a promising candidate could be found there. We have never had a direct descendant of the First boss leading the family, so recruiting outsiders is quite common. In fact, the Ninth was not born into any sort of mafia family. He was scouted out by the Vongola when he was a young man. He does not share any blood with the First generation family."[1]

Tsuna began to say something, but quickly closed his mouth at the dangerous look in Reborn's eyes. Satisfied, the infant continued, "To be honest, there were a few people I had in mind to recruit. One of them is Gokudera Hayato."

Blanching, Tsuna blundered, "Gokudera-san? The exchange student from Italy?" Everyone knew who Hayato Gokudera was. He had moved to Namimori from Italy at the beginning of the school year, although it was a fairly known fact that he lived alone. Notorious for his unruly fashion sense, he never buttoned his shirt, leaving it open to reveal a white wife-beater. Studded accessories and metal rings were his trademarks, and slick silver hair framed his ever-scowling face. Outside of school, he always had a lit cigarette in his mouth, marking him as a delinquent. So it baffled the teachers as to how Hayato Gokudera scored the highest out of everyone in his grade. The boy was a natural genius; perfect test scores were a common occurrence, and teachers huffed with displeasure whenever the delinquent answered questions in class correctly, even though he was clearly not paying attention. Girls fawned over the bad boy, and guys feared him. People who pick fights with him end up in a condition comparable to the result of a run-in with Hibari. For this, Tsuna steered clear of any confrontation with the silverette.

"The others are rather insignificant. I suppose the only one who raised any interest in me was Hayato."

"Then why not just ask him?" Tsuna begged, "I don't want this. I'm sure he will be much bet-"

"I said I chose you. I'm training you and turning you into a mafia boss. So stop your pathetic blubbering." The boy fell silent, and Reborn hopped down from his perch on Tsuna's lap, leaping back onto bed. The green chameleon scurried down into the baby's hands, glowing in technicolor again. Its form distorted once again, and it transformed into something that looked suspiciously like a slick, green laptop. The brunet watched in interest, timidly asking, "Um...wh-what is that? Your p-pet?"

"Leon is not a pet. He is a shape-shifting chameleon, and my partner." Reborn seemed to hold a tone of insult as he spoke, and Tsuna took in a sharp breath. But no beating followed.

Reborn was typing something into his Leon-laptop, but stopped, staring at the screen intently. Onyx eyes swept across the screen, lighting up in interest every so often. "Your résumé is pathetic. Graduating only because of remedial summer and winter classes, no extracurriculars recorded, and no outstanding achievements at all. Your parentage..."

A morose atmosphere seemed to descend at those last words. Tsuna stared dully at Reborn, who was smirking. So he had been right about the boy's father. What an interesting coincidence, and frankly, a shocking surprise. "So your father-"

"I hate him." Perhaps the only thing Tsuna could stay without stuttering.

Reborn figured as much. He didn't press on. There was nothing more on Iemitsu Sawada that he wanted to get out of the teen anyways. His eyes scanned over his mother's profile, and a small frown came onto his face. It was hidden by the laptop, so Tsuna could not see. "Tsuna, do you know what your mother does for work?"

The brunet furrowed his eyebrows, and mumbled, "I-I think she does desk work...as a secretary for a-a law firm. O-or something like that. H-her second job...part-time day-care teacher, I-I think."

When Reborn did not answer immediately, Tsuna warily asked, "R-Reborn-san?"

"That's right," the baby answered, no defining tone in his voice. "How late does she come home?"

"Uh...depends..." Tsuna muttered, "Almost always late at night. O-On occasion, earlier in the evening. H-Her secretary job keeps her late."

Reborn gazed at the thin boy, onyx eyes glinting. "So you will be alone for the rest of the evening?" The brunet answered with a mute nod. After quickly reading the rest of the profile, the baby closed the laptop.

"So what's for dinner?" Reborn asked, smirking.

"Hiiii?"

"Don't make that cowardly sound. It's unbecoming of a mafia boss."

Tsuna flinched. "W-Well, I usually have cup n-noodle..."

"That's disgusting."

Tsuna hung this head. He could not read this baby. He was stubborn, terrifyingly assertive, and seemed to simultaneously insult and compliment him. However, it would be a blatant lie to say that he did not enjoy the attention and company, twisted as it was.

Leon began to glow again, turning into a fancy cellphone this time. Reborn pressed a button, and began to speak fluently in another language. Tsuna blinked, completely unable to understand a single word. It definitely was not English; even if he was failing the class, he still understood bits and pieces. Perhaps Italian, if Reborn came from Italy? The teen could not help but think the language sounded very pretty.

Reborn suddenly hung up, and smiled up at Tsuna. "I just ordered us dinner. It will be here in 15 minutes."

The brunet gawked, "Y-You ordered us dinner? Who will pay? I don't have money!"

"I will, this time. Consider it incentive for becoming my student."

Tsuna deadpanned, letting out a frustrated sigh. He still did not agree! But this baby seemed to have a blatant disregard for his wishes, and was obstinate about this sick fantasy about making Tsuna a mafia boss. Worst thing was that Tsuna now KNEW Reborn was not joking. This was real, unbelievable as it was. He had witnessed and experienced several unfathomable things today, and denying their occurrence seemed to be the impossible idea. And somehow, something in him told him to just roll with it. Finally, the brunet got up, heading to his door. "Then you're coming down?"

"Naturally," the baby smirked, getting off the bed. He followed at Tsuna's ankle, but stopped at the head of the stairs. He watched in anticipation to see what his new student would do.

Tsuna took a step marred with cautiousness, and another. Each step was so light and careful that it seemed as if he was afraid of hurting the stairs. Really, it was the other way around. Somehow, he took a wrong step, slipped, and found himself sliding painfully down the remaining steps.

Reborn held back an amused laugh, and hopping down several steps at a time with ease. He smacked Tsuna in the head, explaining, "Each time you trip or fall from menial daily tasks, I'm going to hit you. It will teach you to lose your clumsiness."

/No it won't!/ the teen wanted to scream. But he only got dejectedly to his feet and limped into the kitchen, heading to the pantry. "U-Um, what utensils would you use?" He paused. "W-What did you order anyways?"

"Use your brain, Dame-Tsuna."

The teen looked downcast again, and was silent for a moment. "I-Italian...?"

"That's correct."

His head shot up in surprise, and Reborn smiled, "And why did you think that?"

"W-Well..." Was he really supposed to answer that? "Y-You ordered food in a foreign language, a-and..."

"Stop stuttering," Reborn suddenly cut in. Tsuna gulped, trying to take a deep breath. It took him a few more minutes to compose himself.

" I-I didn't know which language, but I guessed Italian because you're from Italy...right? So, I guessed that you had ordered," he dropped his voice, flustered in the end, "Italian food..."

The baby kept smiling. "Very good. See, Dame-Tsuna doesn't have to be Dame-Tsuna. Speak clearly, confidently, and use your brain."

The blush persisted through his bruises, and Tsuna felt a slight warmth at the compliment. He was starting to really like that statement.

"Forks and spoons. And plates," Reborn finally answered his initial question. Tsuna started, and nodded, clumsily grabbing two of each utensil for them. He closed the pantry, being mindful not to trip on the rug and receive another beating. He slid into a chair at the table, where Reborn had already made himself comfortable. Grabbing two napkins from the center basket, he placed one, along with the plate, in front of Reborn, adding his fork and spoon on top. After doing the same for himself, silence followed. Tsuna fidgeted, looking at Reborn, questions on his tongue. The baby gave him a piercing look, and he gulped.

"W-Why did you read about me on some profile? Why not just ask me the questions myself?"

"Would you have answered truthfully?"

Sheepish caramel met glinting onyx.

"Hmph. Thought so." Reborn crossed his arms. "Does your Mama know the extent of your bullying? Your social status? Does your Mama know you are depressed? That you have comtemplated suicide? And attempted several times?" Horrorstruck, Tsuna's eyes widened, and he struggled to form coherent sentences. Reborn was no longer smiling or smirking, and he gravely continued, "If you can't be honest to your own mother, then why would you divulge your darkest secrets to a random stranger you have yet to trust?"

Shaking, Tsuna stuttered, "I-It's n-none of y-your bu-"

"Stop stuttering," Reborn ordered. Tsuna ignored him, angry.

"N-none of your business! I-I manage, a-and I-I can't trouble Mom w-with my p-pathetic crap-"

"Are you really managing? Crying, beating yourself up, letting yourself be beat up, failing school, isolating yourself, and not allowing a concerned mother to help her son? You call that managing?" Deep onyx eyes bore into the shaking boy before them. Said boy was left speechless, thoughts jumbled.

"B-But...M-Mom...still..."

"Do you know what your Mama actually has to do at work? Just how hard it is for her?"

Tsuna furrowed his eyebrows, "Wh-What do you mean...?"

He suddenly jumped as the doorbell rang. As he got up, Reborn hopped off his chair, heading to the front door. Tsuna heard it open, an exchange of what he assumed was Italian, and then the door closing. Reborn returned with a heap of food boxes and a drink, placing them on the table gracefully. The aroma that arose from the containers made Tsuna momentarily forget about the question and he realized just how hungry he was.

Reborn had opened the boxes while his student was gawking. Tsuna rarely ate Italian food, and whenever he did, it was definitely not what he saw here. This definitely looked tastier though.

"Of course. This is real Italian food," Reborn cut into his thoughts.

"Real?"

"The slop you called Italian food is pathetic compared to this," the baby smirked. He expertly took some noodles onto his plate, taking some bread as well. Tsuna only stared dumbly at the delicate dishes, and Reborn smirked. "This is spaghettini and garlic bread."[2] The teen only continued to stare dumbly. "Eat," Reborn commanded, and the boy obliged frightfully. He carefully tried to take a portion onto his plate, but ended up spilling the spaghettini all over the table cloth, staining the fabric with red tomato sauce. Face flaming red, the teen sheepishly lifted the limp noodles onto his plate. Slowly, he brought the noodles to his mouth, mulling the taste in his mouth.

"It's...really really good," Tsuna blinked in surprise. He took another bite, more enthusiastically this time. He also took a piece of the bread, which actually had whole cloves of garlic embedded in it. He gazed at the small dish of translucent, yellow-green oil next to the bread.

"That's extra virgin olive oil. You dip the bread in it," the Italian infant smirked. Cautiously, Tsuna dipped the edge of the small piece of bread into the oil, putting it into his mouth.

This might actually trump his dinner from last night.

"W-Where did you get food like this?" asked the flabbergasted brunet. "This looked like it cost a lot."

"Not at all. At least, not for me," smirked the baby. "The restaurant belongs to our family, after all."

Tsuna sputtered, choking on the bread. Eyes tearing, he coughed, "T-The mafia family?"

"The Vongola owns many businesses throughout the world. A chain restaurant is but one of them," was Reborn's nonchalant response. He noticed Tsuna's gaping, and onyx eyes flashed dangerously. "Finish your food. We start your homework after dinner."

"H-Homework? But I don't understand any of it!" Tsuna whined, face disbelieving.

"Exactly the point. You're falling behind. From now on, I'm going to be your home tutor. Part of grooming you to become an excellent mafioso is making sure you succeed in school. And you will have to start building relationships with your classmates. Nothing is more important to having important connections with as many people as you can."

Too much was happening, and the brunet was having difficulty processing all the information again. "W-Wait, home tutor? You're...going to stay here? You can't do that!" Tsuna shouted suddenly. "Mom can't take care of you!"

"She doesn't need to. I am capable of handling my affairs myself. I only need a place to live."

/He's only becoming a freeloader!/ Tsuna thought.

"Dame-Tsuna, I'm training you in return for simple living space. Making you into something seems like a fair trade," Reborn chuckled, sipping what smelled suspiciously like coffee. What, the meal came with that too?

"It's not coffee. It's espresso. And finish your food." The tone of finality ended the conversation, and Tsuna dropped his shoulders in defeat. He settled for finishing his delicious meal, albeit less satisfactorily because of his impending training. Which, he thought bitterly again, was against his will.

As soon as the boxes were empty, Tsuna threw them away, taking the dishes to the sink. He washed them quickly, a chore he was accustomed to, and went back up to his room to find Reborn.

"Reborn-san?" he poked his head into the room, and was met with a kick to the face. Yelling, he fell back, clutching the throbbing bruise.

"Just Reborn will do. Don't tack on an honorific."

Painfully, Tsuna nodded his head, crawling into the room, wondering why he was putting up with this baby. Right, he was a pushover.

The baby hitman had already placed his homework on the table. Leon had transformed into a ruler, and Tsuna was really scared to find out what it was for.

Unfortunately for him, he did. After two hours of intense tutoring, the brunet collapsed, exhausted, clutching his red hand. Reborn had slapped his palm every time he answered incorrectly, which was nearly every question. The abuse continued until he got it right.

"That's good enough for tonight. You actually managed to catch up in algebra. We can work on English tomorrow," the sadistic home tutor announced. He quite enjoyed this method of punishment; he had heard about it, and was itching to test it out on his new student.

Tsuna sat up, pouting, "But I have a picnic with Mom tomorrow." He looked down, "I-I've been waiting a long time...for something like this." Silence fell, and Reborn watched the crestfallen boy.

"Then I suppose we can do that next week. We have plenty of time. I'd like to come with you two tomorrow."

An odd mix of happiness and panic rushed through Tsuna. "HIIII? B-But my Mom...the mafia...?"

"Mama won't be involved. I just want to meet her is all," Reborn smirked. Tsuna was not convinced. He began to object but Reborn had removed his hat, and pulled out a small suitcase from within. Crinkling his eyebrows, Tsuna walked incredulously as the baby removed a set of pink pajamas and began undressing. Face blooming red, the teen immediately looked away, squeaking, "D-Don't j-just chan-"

"Man up, Dame-Tsuna. And I'm already done." Tsuna glanced down, dead panning at the pink getup the baby hitman donned. He looked ridiculous, but quickly extinguished such thoughts, fearing the unusual mind-reading capabilities of the infant.

Suddenly, Reborn jumped back on Tsuna's bed, pulling the covers over himself. "Well then, good night, Dame-Tsuna."

"W-Wai-"

Funny snores sounded, and a strange bubble began to expand and contract from Reborn's nose. It creeped Tsuna out how the hitman's eyes were still open. "R-Reborn?" He waved his hands over the baby's head, and tried to shake him awake. Was he actually asleep? When he received no response, he deemed the baby to be unconscious. Too tired to try and argue-not that he would put much effort into it anyways-the brunet resigned himself to sleeping on the ground, grabbing a quilt from his closet for warmth. Shoving aside some of his discarded clothes, Tsuna laid down with a groan on the musty old carpet. With that, he closed his eyes.

His day was...definitely something. It peaked with the best and worst experiences of his life, and somehow...turned out alright in the end. Rather strange and a bit scary, but alright.

"Because of Reborn..." he murmured to himself. He felt himself being lulled to sleep by his thoughts, and gladly let rest claim him.

The next morning, Tsuna awoke to familiar sounds coming from the downstairs kitchen and could smell a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. Groaning from morning soreness, the brunet cracked his eyes open, noticing the sunlight streaming into the room. It indeed was a nice day.

"You finally awoke. Get dressed. Mama is already cooking downstairs," came a high pitched voice.

Memories of the night before came rushing back, and Tsuna shot up, head whipping towards his bed. Sure enough, Reborn was perched on the edge of the bed, a smiling smirk on his face. Tsuna blanched, "I-It wasn't a dream..."

"Of course not, Dame-Tsuna. Now get dressed. I'm not repeating myself again. Oh, and no concealer."

Somehow, hearing Reborn talk just made Tsuna more tired. Still, he felt a slight happiness for the company; it was not all bad, and no one had ever given him so much attention. It was nice.

So the brunet got his feet, wincing at the pain, and stumbled to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror, pouting at the massive black eye. At least his cuts were healing again, and the bruises were losing color. Quickly brushing his teeth and running a brush though his mess of hair, the teen toddled back to his room, looking for clothes to wear.

He pulled out his favorite top, a white shirt with teal long sleeves and the number "27" on the front. A pair of cargo pants and socks were tossed on, and Tsuna was ready to go down. In the same amount of time, Reborn had donned his smart suit again, fedora in place as well. The suitcase remained out now. Smirking, the infant hopped on Tsuna's head, nearly causing the brunet to lose his balance.

"Let's go down. I want to meet Mama."

"I-I'll fall if you're on my head!"

"I dare you to try."

"That's not something I can contr-"

"Yes it is. Now go." Reborn stomped on Tsuna's head, causing the teen to cry out. He warily crept to the stairs, taking a deep breath. Slowly, one step at a time, he descended the stairs to hell. It was like he was in a trance, and he nearly jolted in shock when he felt the ground level out.

"Hmph. Now to the kitchen," Reborn chirped. Tsuna blinked, surprised by his success. A sharp pain from the top of his head broke him out of his reverie, and he stumbled into the busy kitchen.

Nana Sawada was humming quietly as she cooked. Although it was a warm day, his mother seemed to always be in long sleeve turtlenecks and long pants. He thought she was a very modest woman, since she always refuse to shed the extra layers on hot days. She seemed to know whenever Tsuna was nearby, and turned around, bright smile lighting her face up. "Good morning, Tsu-kun!"

Tsuna returned the smile, "Good morning, Mom." But Nana was already staring, questions playing on her tongue.

With a sigh, Tsuna pointed to the baby on his head, "This is Reb-HIIII!"

Reborn had jumped off Tsuna's head with so much power that the teen staggered back, cut off mid-sentence. As he rubbed his head, the baby raised a hand in a wave, smiling, "Ciaossu, Sawada-san. I am Reborn. I met your son as he was going home yesterday. I would like to offer my services as a home tutor to turn him into a great man many people would follow. All I ask is for a place to stay. I can handle all other expenses myself." He seemed to add a little chuckle at the end, leaving Tsuna gawking. How could Reborn just be so blunt?

The mother watched in surprise, then burst into giggles, "Oh, Reborn-chan you're so cute!" She smiled, but it seemed like there was an underlying tiredness and apology to it, "I'm not sure if this house can support another person here..."

"It'll be like I'm not even here. I may not look it, but I'm a very influential and rich individual. As long as I have a roof over my head, I will pay for everything else. May I stay here?"

Nana blinked, then quickly turned around to check on her food, stirring it a bit to make sure it didn't burn. She turned off the stove, putting the pot aside. Turning back around, she smiled, "I'm sorry for my rudeness there. But yes, I suppose you can share a room with Tsuna." She was surprised. Reborn looked like an infant, yet he was speaking and acting so professionally.

Said teenager blinked owlishly, and stammered, "B-But Mom! You're accepting him...just like that? He's a baby!"

"He seems like a very intelligent young man," she giggled, spooning the food into another container. "And I think it's good you made a friend! I told you, your friends were welcome to come over."

F-Friend? He...made a friend? Tsuna turned to Reborn, and gazed at him. The infant turned to the teen, smirking, giving the slightest head nod. "Although it is more like a student-tutor relationship," Reborn piped up, and Nana hummed in reply, "Oh that's fine! Oh this is so cute, Tsu-kun brought home a friend for me to meet!"

"M-Mom!" Tsuna flushed, "Y-You don't have to put it that way..." His mother whirled on him, concern dancing through her eyes, "But what about your face? Tsuna, where did you get so many bruises and that black eye!" She walked over to her son, fretting over him.

"I-It's nothing! Just an accident in baseba-"

"He got beat up by a gang of bullies while trying to save me. You should have seen him, Sawada-san. Your son was very brave. He even forced them to leave in the end."

Both mother and son gawked at the baby, the latter feeling betrayed. Why would he say that?

"Tsu-kun, is that true...?" Nana frowned, eyebrows crinkled.

Her son was at a loss for words, finally sighing, "Y-Yes..."

"Oh Tsu-kun! That's so sweet and courageous of you!" she hugged him, to his tremendous surprise. "Just like your fath-!"

She suddenly stopped, hug loosening. Tsuna grimaced, and even Reborn's expression seemed to fall. Before anyone else said anything, Nana shook her head, rubbing circles into her son's back, "You're growing up Tsunayoshi. I'm so proud. You know I'm always proud, though. Protecting your friends like this...that's amazing." She pulled away, eyes glistening, "But please please! Be careful! Don't make me worry for you!"

Blinking, Tsuna only nodded, and after a quick hug, Nana pulled away, heading to the kitchen. "Give me a hand with the bags, could you, Tsu-kun?"

"Of course, Mom!" he smiled warmly, grabbing all the food as his mother went to fetch a blanket and her purse. "Reborn-chan, please join us on our picnic today! I brought more than enough food."

"I would be delighted, Sawada-san."

"Oh, Sawada-san sounds so stuffy. That's what my boss calls me." Her expression faltered ever so slightly, and Tsuna noticed. He always noticed when his mother was upset; for a while now, he suspected that she hated her desk job, but it was the better paying of the two, so she kept it. "Please call me something else, ah...like..."

"How about Mama? I am from Italy, and that is how we say 'mother'."

"Oh, that's adorable! Of course you may, Reborn-chan!" Nana headed to the door, opening it, allowing the crisp morning air to rush into the house. The sun glimmered overhead, casting a warmth over the town of Namimori. "Such a nice day...let's go, boys!" Another yelp sounded from the kitchen, and an exasperated Tsuna emerged with Reborn on his head again.

The walk to the park was uneventful, but as it was a Sunday, many townspeople had gone there. Tsuna felt self-conscious about his bruises again, but Reborn piped up, "Be proud of your battle scars."

"Most of these weren't battle scars..." he muttered dryly. It was nice that Reborn was not calling him his dreaded nickname. He was probably playing nice in front of Nana though. The trio found a nice place next to the fountain, and set up a blanket on the ground. Tsuna placed the bags down with an exhausted sigh, and Reborn jumped down, landing neatly on top of the blanket. Nana removed the lids on the boxes, and the baby commented, "It smells delicious, Mama."

"Thank you, Reborn-chan! Go ahead, dig in, you two!"

Tsuna did not have to be asked twice. He greedily plucked an octopus into his mouth, relishing the taste. Oh, how he missed his mother's cooking! "How is it?" Nana's eyes twinkled.

"So good, so good!"

"Very excellent. You're a good cook, Mama."

"Oh you two! So kind!" Nana blushed, waving a hand in embarrassment. Tsuna continued to stuff his face, rather happy for the good meals he had had in the past few days.

Eyes wandering, he noticed others who were enjoying themselves. Families smiling together. Children laughing with two parents. Siblings helping their younger brothers or sisters. Friends playing together. Couples snuggling warmly. Tsuna watched all this with envious eyes, but looked back to his Mom, a smile playing on his lips. Mom was all he needed. He did not need anyone else.

But just as he thought that, he noticed a familiar shock of auburn hair and that adorable face he had fallen in love with. Kyoko.

Eyes widening, Tsuna's jaw dropped, prompting his mother to ask, "What's wrong, Tsu-kun?" She followed his eyes, trying to distinguish where her son was looking. Reborn was looking on in interest, smirking, "I think he is looking at that girl with the ginger hair over there."

"Ah, is that so? Tsu-kun," she turned to her blushing son, "Do you know her?"

Tsuna closed his mouth, but eyes still looking at Kyoko. "She's...a classmate."

"That you like," Reborn finished, sipping his drink. Tsuna's blush was now distinguishable under his bruises, and he protested, "R-Reborn!"

"Tsu-kun! You never told me you had a crush!" Nana gasped, looking at Kyoko again. "How good it must be...to be in love again..." she sighed, a brief sadness playing through her eyes. Suddenly, she perked up, "You should call her over!"

"No no no! That's a bad idea! I-I mean, we're barely acquaintances!" he rambled, holding up his hands.

"Excuse, excuses," Reborn chortled, finished off the last of the octopus. "You should call her over before you finish all the food."

"You've been eating way more than I have!" Tsuna shot back, "And we aren't calling her here!"

"Tsuna, when did you get so bold in talking to me?" onyx eyes flashed. The teen gulped, starting to shrink into himself when Reborn spoke again, startling him, "I don't mind. Do as you wish. Just don't expect me to always be complacent," Reborn flashed him a terrifying smile. Tsuna blanched, but then noticed...

"Where did Mom go?"

"She went to talk to Kyoko."

"HIIIIIIIIIIIII?"

True to the baby's word, Nana Sawada had wandered over to where Kyoko was with her family, greeting them. Tsuna clutched at his hair, a squeaking cacophony of jumbled words tumbling from his mouth. Somewhere along the lines of "She's so embarrassing!" and "Oh no, Kyoko-chan is going to see me like this!"

"Man up, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn smacked his student's head. The treatment was so common now that Tsuna no longer flinched at the horrid nickname. "You should confess to her."

"HIIII?"

"I thought I told you to stop making those girlish screams. They sound cowardly. Now here's your chance. Mama is bringing her family over."

"I-I am not confessing to K-Kyoko-chan in front of her family!" Tsuna stammered, and flinched when he heard an angelic voice greet, "Good morning, Sawada-kun!"

The brunet stiffened, gazing up, pink dusting his cheeks. "G-Good m-morning, Sasagawa-san." Kyoko was dressed in a yellow, polka-dotted sundress with a pale-green cardigan. She looked too cute for words, and Tsuna was surprised he got a greeting out.

"Ohhh Kyoko, is this your classmate?" came a guttural, and rather loud, voice. Tsuna looked up, blinking owlishly. Standing beside his crush was the school's boxing club captain, Ryohei. So they were siblings? Why had Tsuna never noticed they shared the same last name?

"Mmhm! This is Tsuna Sawada. Sawada-kun, this is my brother, Ryohei Sasagawa," the auburn girl giggled.

"O-Oh, nice to mee-"

"IT'S EXTREMELY NICE TO MEET YOU, SAWADA!" Ryohei roared, startling the brunet. The Sasagawas all seemed to smile sheepishly at Ryohei's loud greeting, although judging by their reactions, it must have been a common occurrence.

"L-Likewise..." the brunet squeaked, but Ryohei was shouting again. "WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE EXTREME BRUISES?"

"U-Um..." Poor Tsuna was too terrified to answer. So Reborn did it for him.

"He saved me from some bullies. Rather courageous." The brunet blushed as his mother began to prattle about the incident like she was right there. She hardly knew the details! The Sasagawa parents seemed impressed though, and the adults struck up conversation.

"Extreme! Sawada, join my boxing club!" the overly energetic teen cheered.

"HIIII?"

"Geez, Onii-chan! Don't try and rope everyone into your boxing club whenever you meet them!" Kyoko scolded, but then turned to Tsuna, "That's so brave of you! Is he your little brother?"

Tsuna was too lost to answer. He had gone and flown away when Kyoko complimented him. Again, Reborn answered for him. "I'm his home tutor. My name is Reborn. Pleasure to meet you two." The baby's eyes fixed on Ryohei, appraising the white-haired teen. He had dull-colored eyes that reflected a passionate fire, and a strong, hard face that seemed ready for anything. A white bandage adorned the bridge of his nose, contrasting against his tanned skin. It was clear then older teen was quite muscular. But there was something else that caught the baby's eye, something that could not be seen from the outside. Ryohei caught the infant's eye, and they were in a silent exchange for a moment.

"Hey, Kid! Would you like to join my boxing c-"

"Ok, Onii-chan, that's enough!" Kyoko whined, grabbing her brother's toned arm. She flashed Tsuna a sheepish smile, "I'm sorry about that! It was nice seeing you though! Feel better, and I'll see you in school tomorrow, Sawada-kun!"

Tsuna nodded, managing a few words, "U-Uh, nice meeting you guys today. I-I'll see you tomorrow!" He managed a smile, too dazzled by Kyoko's own. She dragged her brother back over to her parents, and after a few last exchanges, the families parted, and Nana sat back down. "Well that was nice! The Sasagawas are such friendly people. Tsu-kun, I think Kyoko-chan is a wonderful girl! You should get to know her better. She makes you happy, right?" She beamed at her son.

Said son only blushed, poking at the remaining food. Reborn leaned back, eyeing Ryohei's retreating back with interest. /That boy...what an interesting guy. But so is that girl./ Reborn watched Kyoko a while, onyx eyes blinking. /Who would have thought Namimori would have these kinds of people?/

The trio stayed in the park a few more hours, enjoying their food and sunlight. Nana and Reborn were talking up a storm, as Nana asked a lot about Reborn. Tsuna listened, terrified the hitman would mention something ridiculous about the mafia. Luckily for him, the infant did not, even only mentioning that Leon was nothing more than a common chameleon and eventually turned the questions on the woman. Nana was quite impressed that Reborn was only two. "Such a prodigy! Your parents must be so proud." Reborn only smirked.

"Mama, what do for work?" Nana seemed to stiffen slightly, and Tsuna frowned again. He had noticed the subtle movement, but also wondered why Reborn would ask something the teen had already answered.

"I work as a part-time daycare teacher, but usually I am a secretary at a law firm."

"Whose law firm do you work for?"

Nana paused for a moment before saying, "My boss is Ishikawa Kosui." A short silence followed, and Nana laughed, "Oh, Reborn-chan knows a lot about this, doesn't he?"

The baby smiled, "Something like that. I-" He suddenly stopped, jumping away. Not a moment later, a loud sound shook the air and a huge wave of water splashed from the fountain, drenching everyone nearby, including the Sawadas. Mother and son gasped, standing up. Reborn's eyes flicked around, resting on a pair of enraged emerald ones. He turned back to the two brunets, piping up, "Perhaps we should go home. We're all wet now." The afternoon sun was beginning to set, as winter was drawing near.

Tsuna shivered, mumbling, "Y-You don't l-look wet at all..."

"Let's go." Reborn watched as the two packed away their wet possessions, and the trio began to walk home. The baby did not ride Tsuna's head this time as it was sopping wet. As they neared the Sawada household, Reborn suddenly piped up, "I forgot something back at the park. Mama, go on home. Tsuna, you come with me."

"W-Wah, but I'm all wet too!"

"Mama, go home please," Reborn smiled, and the mother pouted, nodding. "Tsu-kun, give me the bags. Hurry back!" She took the soaking bags and turned to go, not noticing a struggling Tsuna behind her.

"Reborn, can't I change first-"

"Come out here. I know you're there." The hitman's voice rang loud and clear, and Tsuna's head shot up, scanning the empty street. Or rather, the supposedly empty street.

From behind a telephone pole, a figure emerged, and Tsuna stiffened at the familiar silver hair, unruly clothes, and cigarette smoke rising into the air.

"You've been following us a while, Hayato Gokudera." Reborn remarked, eyes shadowed by his fedora. Tsuna began to shiver again, but not from the cold this time. He remembered the infant's words from the day before. Gokudera was the other candidate. A real mafioso.

The irate teenager made a clicking noise of irritation, holding his cigarette in his fingers. "Reborn. You decided to take up a fucking spineless runt as your student?" The silverette grinded his teeth angrily. "Wasn't I a candidate? Why did you not choose me?"

Reborn was silent, but then tipped his hat back up. "I chose Tsuna."

"You chose wrong. He will destroy the Vongola. This runt can't do anything right." Emerald eyes burned into Tsuna, and he flinched at the scathing insults and the flaming glare. He had told Reborn to go to Gokudera instead! And now...!

"Regardless, I chose him. I will stand by my student. If you have a problem, settle it between yourselves," the baby replied.

Hayato stuck the cigarette back into his mouth, sneering, "Tch. What a pain." He reached into his clothes, coming back with several sticks between his fingers. Tsuna paled, squeaking, "Is that...?"

"Dynamite, yes. Back in Italy, he was known as 'Hurricane Bomb'. He overwhelms his opponents with a massive flurry of explosives. But..." Reborn stepped forward, calling, "Wait, Hayato. This is not the time for a duel."

The bomber stopped, eyes narrowing. Finally, he put the dynamite away, giving another irritated click. "Whatever. You. Tsunayoshi Sawada." He glared vehemently at the brunet again, who squeaked and stood up straight. "Tomorrow, after school, we will settle this. Don't be late." And with that, the silverette walked away, cigarette smoke streaming into the air.

Tsuna was shaking again and only snapped out of it from another one of Reborn's kicks. "Let's go home, Dame-Tsuna."

"Reborn! What did you do?" the teen shouted, whirling on his tutor. "I'm not fighting him for a position I don't even want!"

"Yes you are. You cannot back down once a challenge is issued. It's the way of the mafia."

"But I'm not even part of the stupid mafia!"

"You are now."

Tsuna let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't possibly beat dynamite."

"Yes you can. I have every confidence that you will beat him. And if you don't, expect me to punish you greatly." Reborn began to walk on ahead, leaving a terrified Tsuna behind.

Tsuna felt the blood drain from his face. Would there even be any of him left for Reborn to punish after getting hit by one of those bombs? He did not want any of this! With Reborn, his already violent life just turned into a game of survival. No good was coming out of this.

Exhausted, Tsuna dragged himself home, slipping into the house silently. He went upstairs, miraculously without tripping. Maybe Reborn's training was working after all? He noticed the bathroom occupied, so settling for going into his room to grab a change of clothes. As he went back into the hall, his mother emerged from the bathroom. She had shed her turtleneck, opting for a T-shirt instead. She stopped short at the sight of her son, who was only staring at her neck. Angry red bruises covered it, and seemed to reach to her collarbones too. Nana slapped a hand over her neck, smiling nervously. "What would you like for dinner? I think I'll have to order out. I didn't have time to shop for more food." Even the wrist had bruises on it too.

Tsuna's mind was too preoccupied to answer, and he only continued to stare. A squeaky voice piped up, "I'll order us Italian. Go rest, Mama."

Nana blinked in surprise at the sight of Reborn, her face flushing red. She nodded, embarrassed a small child saw what happened, and toddled off to her room. Tsuna watched her go, feeling numb. Even he was not so stupid to not know a hickey when he saw one. "I never knew...Mom had a lover..." he mumbled dully.

"She doesn't."

Tsuna started, head whipping down to look at Reborn. "W-What do you mean? You saw those, didn't you? It was clear-"

"Ishikawa Kosui," Reborn cut in. Tsuna's eyes widened. "He's known to be one of the shadier lawyers that deals with the yakuza.[3] Money and sex are just about the only two things that man thinks about."

Tsuna froze, the words sinking into him. "M-Mom's lover-?"

"She doesn't have a lover. Think about it, Dame-Tsuna."

The turtlenecks. The long clothes. The late nights at the office. The faltering smile whenever her work was mentioned. Her enthusiasm over Kyoko. Her unwavering loyalty to Tsuna's pathetic father.

Tsuna refused to believe it. "S-She wouldn't."

"For a son who she loves with all her heart, and must support, she would. That's the kind of strong woman Nana Sawada is. Finding another job in this economy is quite difficult."

Numbness consumed the teen, and he dropped his clothes. His vision started to go funny, jumbled thoughts colliding in his head. Then, it stopped. Only a single one single thought remained, standing alone among all the others.

Tsuna stumbled into the bathroom, locking the door with an audible click. Reborn's onyx eyes widened for a second, and then he pounded a fist on the door. "Open up, Tsuna."

The brunet ignored him, feverishly opening the mirror cabinet and grabbing the Tylenol. He fumbled with the cap as the pounding intensified. "Tsuna, open the door." Reborn sounded calm, but a dangerous edge crept into his voice. He was ignored again as the teen stared at himself in the mirror again, numb fingers still trying to open the cap. He finally succeeded, and absentmindedly dumped several pills onto his palm. Suddenly, the door slammed open, and a bang resounded. The Tylenol bottle exploded, scattering the pills all over the floor. Tsuna only stated dully, raising the pills in his hand to his mouth. A sharp slap forced them to flying out of Tsuna's hand, but the teen remained unresponsive. Reborn lowered his gun, glaring up at the teen.

"Dame-Tsuna is stupid. Really stupid. What were you hoping to accomplish with that?"

Silence.

"You knew it yourself. Mama lives to support you. If you are gone, Mama has no reason to live. You're really stupid, Dame-Tsuna."

Suddenly, the teen exploded, eyes wide with rage. He whirled on Reborn, angry creases all over his face. "Stop calling me that! Stop. With. That. Name. I hate it, I hate it! I don't want to be constantly reminded that I am useless and pathetic, and am completely no-good. I KNOW that! I don't need anyone else to tell me. Why do you people need to constantly remind me?" He pointed at the pills. "People don't need me. You say Mom lives for me, but all I'm doing is making her life miserable. She has to sell herself to support me! What a joke!" Tears began to fall from his eyes, and Reborn watched on calmly.

"That's where you're wrong. She does what she wants because she loves you. More than your father."

Shock rocked Tsuna's body, and the tears began to flow faster. Onyx eyes peered into melting caramel ones, and Reborn smiled, "Go rest now, Tsuna. You have a duel tomorrow."

Mind exhausted, the brunet tried to get to his feet, but only managed to crawl back to his room, where he closed the door weakly behind him. Before he made it to his bed, he crumpled to the ground, balling himself up, the silent river of sorrow continuing to flow.

Reborn stared at the pills before gathering them up and tossing them, and the disfigured bottle, into the trash can.

"Tsuna has a long way to go." Reborn said to himself, watching as Leon turned into a phone again. "But he can do it."

Because behind those sorrowful puddles of caramel, Reborn saw a spark: the spark of a nascent flame that would forever change the world of the mafia.

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><p><strong>Oh dear, so much angst. I'm sorry if I went overboard with it! I added a tiny bit of happiness and humor into this chapter as well. Also, Tsuna seems to have broken out of his shell with Reborn! Let's see how he will fare with the others, eh? <strong>

**I introduced some of Tsuna's future guardians into the story. I was debating whether to give him problems too, but I wanted Ryohei to serve as the character foil for the other guardians. I'm still working the story to make it original and interesting. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter though!**

**[1] I decided to not make it mandatory for the bosses to be related to Giotto in some way. I believe the 2nd boss was just a cousin, who is technically not a direct descendant. The Vongola will accept anyone into the family they want, regardless of their bloodline, unlike most other mafia families. They were a vigilante group at first anyways. **

**[2] I just had some really good spaghettini the other day. It's like spaghetti, but the noodles are thinner, I think. I tried to describe the food as it really is in Italy. There's not as much cheese, and most of their cooking is done with veggie or olive oil, and the sauces are generally quite thin and fat-free. They aren't as creamy or fatty. Real Italian is quite good, actually. Americanized Italian has so much cheese...yuck. **

**[3] The yakuza is the Japanese mafia, for those of you that don't know.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review! Much appreciated. :D **

**~Alexie**


	3. Duel for the Tenth

**Hey guys! Another update! I really ought to study for my Government test or finish up that silly bill for that class, but…pfft I like writing fics better. What can I say?**

**Anyways, I know the characters are rather OOC at first. That is my intention for the beginning as I made Tsuna into this ball of depression. :C Don't worry though; he will start acting more like the bumbling fool we all know and love! This will happen to other characters too, as you will notice with Gokudera…but they will all be IC by the time I'm through, so no worries! If it bothers you, I apologize. :C **

**In terms of romance, I know I'm laying you guys with a lot of 27K right now, but I honestly love this pairing so much. It's also just about the only straight pairing I support in KHR. (Except maybe Lambo/I-Pin. What do people call that pairing? LamPin?) Haha! I'm kinda into 2700, but with Enma, I think it's cuter if he and Tsuna were just super close friends. There won't be any yaoi moments until…well…the boys meet each other, which will take time. **

**By the way, I love writing these "Last Chapter" recaps. It's like…doing episode recaps for anime. I think it's a lot of fun, so I'm going to make them a little more…epic? Maybe that's not the word…you'll see I guess hah. **

**Last Chapter: Reborn plans to turn Tsuna into a mafia boss, much to the teen's discontent. The baby hitman gave no choice in the matter to his student, and struck up a deal to stay in the Sawada household for the duration of Tsuna's training. Reborn joined Tsuna and his mother, Nana, on their Sunday picnic, and met up with the Sasagawas, effectively embarrassing Tsuna. An accident with the fountain left the Sawadas soaking wet, and they went home. On the way there, however, Tsuna encountered his classmate Hayato Gokudera, Reborn's other choice of candidate for the position of the Tenth Vongola boss. Hayato is downright furious with Reborn's decision, and challenged Tsuna to a duel. At home, the brunet found out his mother had been sacrificing her purity to her slimy boss in order to keep her job, and this information nearly drove Tsuna to kill himself if not for Reborn's intervention. In the end, Tsuna returns to his room to rest for the duel that is…**

**Today.**

**Warnings: Violence**

**Disclaimer: KHR does not belong to me. If it did, I would have licensed it to be dubbed in English, just for the hell of it.**

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><p><em>Chapter <em>_3: Duel for the Tenth_

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><p>It was a cloudy morning; freezing, in fact. Not a trace of the sunny weather from the previous day was left for this gloomy morning, and Tsuna thought it was a perfect reflection of his mood. He wish he could just crawl back into bed and fall into oblivion, not having to deal with life anymore. If not for Reborn, he might have.<p>

Somehow, that thought terrified him.

Apparently, the brunet had fallen asleep for the whole night after his breakdown in the bathroom, and had missed dinner. As a result, he woke up early the next morning, a rarity for the sleepyhead. Reborn was still snoring away on the brunet's bed, and Tsuna remembered that he had just fallen asleep at the foot of his bed, scrunched up in a fetal position. He really hoped his mother had not seen him, but something told him Reborn had dealt with it: cleaned up the evidence, covered his tracks, just like a real Mafioso was capable of. However, when he reached the kitchen, his mother was awake, drinking some coffee. Coffee? His mother never drank coffee. Nana looked up in surprise to see her son up so early, but a smile spread over her face. "What a surprise! Good morning, Tsu-kun! Reborn-chan told me you weren't feeling too well last night. I hope it wasn't my food," she pouted, but there was a fear in her eyes: a fear that Tsuna had suspected something of her. Tsuna immediately held his hand up.

"N-No! Not at all! I-I'm sure it was probably the water…or something." He dropped his hands, memories of the night before crashing on him. His head hung, and he suddenly felt guilty for what he almost did. Mom was always so worried for him; what was he thinking?

"I'm glad," Nana sighed, a load disappearing from her eyes as she took another sip of her drink. She began to speak cheerfully again, "But you missed out on some delicious Italian food! Reborn-chan was so nice to order for us. I left some for you in the fridge, if you'd like it for lunch or breakfast."

Tsuna blinked in surprise, "O-Oh. That…sounds nice. Thanks. I'll pack it for lunch, I guess." He fidgeted with his pajama top, looking for a reason to talk. "U-Um…so…you drink coffee now?"

His mother laughed, raising her mug up cheerfully. "Not really! But Reborn-chan mentioned that he really loved espresso, so I went out and bought a container of it yesterday while you were asleep. I decided to give it a try for myself. I think I prefer my tea though. Would you like some? There's still some in the pot."

The teen was not even aware their household had a coffee maker. "N-No, I'm fine. I'll just drink my milk…"

With a nod, Nana finished her espresso, getting up to place the cup in the sink. She gathered her purse and slipped on her jacket. Tsuna watched her, feeling a little lost. He wanted to tell her not to go and hurt herself anymore for his sake, and felt his spirits plummet as she smiled, "I'll be home again tonight. I'm sorry. Maybe I can order some food for you and have the restaurant deliver it around 7:00?"

"T-That's…fine…" Tsuna looked down, then up again, eyes glowing warmly. "U-Um, I-I love you Mom. A-A lot. So…please take care o-of yourself. I-I really appreciate everything that y-you do for me, a-and I promise I-I will work at doing better myself!" The words came out faster than he intended, and he stuttered more than he would have liked, but the look on his Mom's face spoke volumes. It may have been the trick of the morning light, but Tsuna could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Tsunayoshi." She leaned in, pecking her son on the cheek before hugging him. "I love you too." She let him go, waving cheerily. "See you later!" With a slight skip, Nana Sawada left the house, waving one more time before disappearing around the corner of the wall.

Tsuna stood there watching a while longer until the familiar voice of an infant cut into his thoughts. "Good. You're awake, Tsuna."

The brunet whirled around, seeing the pink-clad baby coming down the stairs. Tsuna managed a small smile, greeting, "Good morning Reborn." He rubbed a hand behind his neck, looking off to the side. "U-Um…sorry about yesterday, a-and…thank you."

Reborn only smirked, showing no acknowledgment for his apology or gratitude. "You should eat, otherwise you will not have energy to battle Hayato today."

Blink. Another blink. Then a scream.

"HIIIIIII?"

So there Tsuna was, shuffling to school, dreading the afternoon to come. "I really, really, REALLY don't want to fight against Gokudera-san today! He's going to kill me!" He ran a hand down his face, mindful of his healing cuts and fading bruises. At least his black eye was not swelling as much today.

"No he won't." Reborn had come out of nowhere, inducing a scream from the brunet. The cowardly sound only earned the teen a smack from his tutor. "Calm down, Dame-Tsuna. You can beat him if you're yourself."

"No I can't! I'm Dame-Tsuna!" Much as he hated the nickname, the teen felt its use here was completely justified, "I won't win!"

"I didn't say to fight as Dame-Tsuna. I said to go fight as you," Reborn corrected, toddling along on the high walls surrounding the houses on the streets. Tsuna only stared at him, dumbfounded, and walked into a pole by accident. Reborn jumped down, kicking his student. "Watch where you go."

"Reborn, can you not hit m-OW!" The infant smirked, crossing his arms. "Don't ask me for stupid requests."

/It's hardly a stupid request!/ thought the brunet./

He continued walking along, fretting about the upcoming battle. Ok, he had zero coordination, arm strength that noodles would have been ashamed of, no athletic prowess whatsoever, and no weapons to use against bombs.

Freaking, exploding, deadly bombs.

"I'm doomed," Tsuna concluded, nearly crashing into another pole when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"HEEEEEEY. SAWADA. EXTREMELY GOOD MORNING!" Tsuna turned, recognizing the voice immediately. His heart jumped when he saw the two siblings approaching him.

"Good morning, Sawada-kun!" Kyoko's bright smile practically chased away all the gray clouds, and Tsuna felt a blush rising to his cheeks again.

"G-Good morning, Sasagawa-san…Sasagawa-san." Tsuna fumbled with the names, as he had no way to distinguish between the auburn girl giggled, "Sawada-kun, you can call me Kyoko-chan if you'd like. We're friends now, right?"

And off went Tsuna's soul. Luckily for him, Ryohei pulled him back.

"SAWADA. YOU CAN CALL ME YOUR EXTREME BROTHER THEN. ANY FRIEND OF KYOKO'S IS MY SIBLING, TO THE EXTREME!" His roaring voice grounded Tsuna again, and the teen could not tell if the blood rushing to his head was from embarrassment or shock.

"Like…Onii-san?" the brunet asked timidly, and the white-haired boxer nodded vigorously.

"Just like that!"

Kyoko started to laugh, and Tsuna thought it was just about the most beautiful sound in the world. "Sawada-kun, seems like my onii-chan has taken a liking to you! Just be careful, or else he will pull you into his boxing club again."

Embarrassed, Tsuna, rubbed his neck, mumbling something. Both siblings blinked, leaning in simultaneously. "Hm? Can you say that again, Sawada-kun?"

"U-Um…" Tsuna looked up at the siblings, stammering when he saw Kyoko closer to him, "Y-You can call me Tsu-Tsuna…" He looked down again, his cheeks flushed.

"Hmmm…I dunno. I like Sawada better," Ryohei crossed his arms in thought. Tsuna jumped, waving his hands. "It's fine! You can call me whatever you wish…"

"In that case, I'll do that," Kyoko smiled, leaning back. "Tsuna-kun!"

The brunet's face was a brilliant shade of red by now. So many thoughts were flying through his head right now, and a majority of them were attributed to just how cute Kyoko was. Or how happy he was right now. Happy? He was happy?

To the side, Reborn smirked. Tsuna seemed to sense it, turning to look at the baby. Somehow, Reborn had indirectly caused this...happiness. If he had not divulged his crush to his mother, she would not have pulled the Sasagawas over to their picnic, and he would never had had the chance to talk to Kyoko, or even meet someone like her brother. And it was Reborn who had given him these chances.

Slowly, the corners of Tsuna's mouth pulled into a smile, directed only at the baby. Reborn pretended not to notice, but the smirk on his lips was a telling sign. "If you three don't hurry, you might be late," the baby hitman commented,  
>walking alongside on the wall.<p>

"THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BAD. LET'S GO!" Ryohei took off in a full sprint, leaving the two underclassmen in his dust. Onyx eyes lit up for a moment as they watched the boxer dash away. They were focused on the trail, and Reborn smirked. "Flames even in his dust. He would be a fine addition to Tsuna's family. But first, we will have to deal with Hayato."

Tsuna was too busy talking to Kyoko now to notice Reborn, or anything else for that matter. He was lucky enough to not run into anything or trip as he walked. At least, until he reached the school.

Something collided with his head when he was right outside of school gates, effectively crashing him into Kyoko. They fell to the ground, Tsuna managing to prop himself up over Kyoko just in time to avoid smashing her. The brunet was immediately apologizing, falling on his face as he tried to get out of the compromising position he was in with Kyoko. The two were blushing furiously, and the girl was assuring her companion that everything was alright. Eyes were staring at the couple, including a dark pair that creased angrily as they watched the scene play out. Tsuna rubbed his head, eyes landing blurrily on a small round object nearby. As his vision cleared, he was able to identify what it was. "A baseball…?"

"Haha, oh man, sorry about that!" a chipper voice sounded. The brunet looked up, eyes widening when he saw the school's baseball star jogging over. Takeshi Yamamoto.

If Kyoko was the girl-idol at school, then Takeshi was probably the male-idol. Actually, it was debatable whether he or Hayato was more popular amongst the girls. The teen was far taller than the other kids in his class, and even school-wide, his fit, towering form was unmatched. Every sports team begged him to join them, as he was easily the best athlete in school, even if his heart only belonged to baseball. Even though he was a freshman, Takeshi became captain of the baseball team on sheer passion and skill. His amber eyes drove girls nuts, as did the sweat that glittered on his short, spiky hair during practice. An amicable, easy-going and cheery personality made him an easy individual to approach. Of course, Tsuna feared getting close to anyone remotely that popular, so he had kept his distance. That, or Takeshi's teammates would insult and abuse him to the point where he would not have a chance to talk to the superstar in the first place.[1]

And here Tsuna was, in an embarrassing situation. Was that the only way he could ever meet a new person?

"Hey, let me help you guys up," Takeshi grinned, offering one huge, strong hand to Tsuna and the other to Kyoko. If Tsuna ever had a man crush, he decided it would be on Takeshi Yamamoto. N-Not that he, y-you know, swung that way! Kyoko owned his heart, after all.

Cautiously, Tsuna took the hand, as did Kyoko, and Takeshi easily pulled the two smaller teens to their feet. Kyoko got up much more gracefully, whereas Tsuna stumbled. He looked up at the superstar, who was laughing sheepishly again, bending down to retrieve his baseball. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to hit that home run so far, haha! Can't really control my power sometimes!"

"That's incredible, Yamamoto-kun!" Kyoko beamed, brushing her skirt off. "Isn't the baseball field near the back of the school?" The baseball player only rubbed his head sheepishly again in response as Tsuna gawked. Reborn watched from a distance, appraising Takeshi with approving eyes. "As will him…" he smiled, hopping off the wall and disappearing behind a telephone pole.

The warning bell rang at this point, and Takeshi laughed, "Oops, better head back and pack up. I'll see you two in class, Kyoko, Tsuna! Sorry again!" With a cool salute wave, the teen ran off, leaving Kyoko to coax a stunned Tsuna to class. Had Takeshi just call him by his first name? Just like that?

It was practically a chain reaction.

Tsuna had never had so much positive interaction with people in his life. He felt almost overwhelmed by happiness. However, he had a sneaking suspicion this was all just to balance out all the horrible trouble he was bound to have later in the day, but for now, he was going to enjoy class and the teacher received a shock to see Tsuna on time, face actually not hidden by concealer, and more surprisingly, arriving with Kyoko Sasagawa.

Kyoko's best friend, Hana Kurokawa, was gawking in disgust, but approval flashed in her eyes for a moment. Two pairs of eyes held murderous intent behind them, however. Emerald green eyes shot through Tsuna, and he flinched as he glanced at Hayato Gokudera's seat. The teen was in place, rigid and looking downright pissed off. The other that Tsuna had not been anticipating was that of Mochida's, and the brunet paled, remembering the warning given to him by the terrifying teenager just the other day.

"Let's take our seats before the bell rings, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko whispered, waving as she headed towards her desk. Tsuna nodded, wishing he was not showing his red cheeks to the class, and toddled over to his desk. He tried his best to ignore the scathing glares from the two boys behind him, but was quite unsuccessful in that endeavor. Dame-Tsuna was returning after a morning of absence, and Tsuna longed for those moments of intimate confidence he felt that morning. It was hard to believe that he could have been dead and gone by today; if he had, he would never have had a chance to experience the great moments he did. Reborn was trouble, but he had indirectly performed miracles for the hopeless brunet. Classroom time seemed to zoom by, and Tsuna was surprised that he was keeping up in math class. He nearly gave the class a heart attack when he managed to solve an algebra problem correctly in class: another miracle. The class had wondered where the pathetic, stupid boy had gone, and some thought Tsuna had been replaced by someone more competent over the weekend.

These suspicions were crushed when lunch came around, and immediately, two murderous auras were veying for blood: Tsuna's blood. Mochida reached him first, and the brunet, anticipating the older teen, had already shrunk into his seat by the time Mochida began his tirade. "Did you not remember what I told you the other day, Dame-Tsuna?"

The younger teen looked away, anywhere but the incensed dark eyes of the kendo club captain. "You seem to be too stupid to understand, it seems. So let me spell it out plain and simple for you. Stay. Away. From. Kyoko."

Tsuna mumbled something, and Mochida grabbed his lapel, delighted by the squeak the brunet had leaked. "Care to repeat that, Dame-Tsuna?"

"K-Kyoko-chan is just a friend…she said so her-"

"Oh, so you're on first name basis now?" Mochida growled, shoving the weak boy back into his chair. "Listen up, scum. I don't care what Kyoko is to you. Stay away from her."

Tsuna's mouth moved, and words spilled out. Before he knew it, Mochida had grabbed him again, shaking him furiously. "What was that?"

"Y-You can't d-decide that for us…" Tsuna stuttered, defiance swirling with fear in his caramel depths. "She's not yo-"

Us. That word made the older teen snap, and he growled, "That's it." Mochida raised a fist, and Tsuna's eyes widened. He would not dare to, in class, in front of so many witnesses…! But all the brunet saw was pure, jealous rage in those dark depths, so he closed his eyes, ready to accept the pain. It never came. He waited for a while, and it was not until he heard a familiar voice did his eyes fly open in shock.

"Maa, maa, calm down, Mochida. Tsuna isn't doing anything wrong, is he?" Takeshi had grabbed the flying fist a foot away from Tsuna's face. The athlete still had a cheerful grin, but something dangerous glinted in his eye. Mochida snarled, wrenching his arm out of Takeshi's grip, dropping the brunet in the process. Shaken up, Tsuna took a moment to catch his breath before looking up. Takeshi had been talking to Mochida, who seemed to be smiling again, although it was by no means a platonic smile.

"Alright. I'll take it. Hey, Dame-Tsuna." The brunet jumped when he saw the evil grin on Mochida's face. "We'll settle this with our fists. Or rather, our swords. Two days, after school, the gym. We're going to fight for Kyoko. Don't  
>be late." With that, the kendo captain stalked away, clearly pleased with himself. By now, anyone left in the classroom had been staring at the confrontation, and Tsuna knew this fight was going to spread rumors. He whimpered, covering his face. Two fights in a row? He did not even know if he will come out of the first one alive! Speaking of...<p>

"You're pathetic. To think Reborn chose you over me. Can't even stand up to a pathetic weakling like that." Tsuna looked up as Gokudera passed by, already lighting a cigarette. "Don't be late after school. I don't want to go home late."

The silverette was about to pass by when someone grabbed his wrist. He whirled around, coming face to face to Takeshi's million-watt smile. "Let's all try and be friends here, alright? And you shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you, haha!"

Hayato only stared, shaking the boy off. "Let me go," he growled vehemently, sliding out the door. Tsuna sighed, finally at peace, and wanted to put his head down, as was routine for lunch. He then blushed, realizing his rudeness. "S-Sorry about that. Thanks...for helping me, Yamamoto-san," he stammered, and Takeshi turned back around, smiling. "Maa maa, no problem, haha! Glad to help a fellow classmate. And Yamamoto is just fine. Yamamoto-san is my pops," the athlete started to laugh again, and Tsuna wondered how someone can ever be so happy. "Anyways, I should be the one apologizing," Yamamoto suddenly cut in, "I had strike up that deal with Mochida. Sorry I put you in such a spot." He grinned sheepishly, and Tsuna held his hands up tiredly, "I-It's alright, Yamamoto-s-" He stopped just in time to avoid adding the honorific to the end of the name. "I rather have it like this, I-I guess..."

With a sigh, Tsuna took out his lunchbox, filled with leftover pasta from the night before. Yamamoto eyed him a moment, then grabbed a chair from a nearby desk, pulled it up, and sat with his front to the back of the chair. "Haha, mind if I join you for lunch today?" the baseball player chirped, startling the brunet. W-What was he thinking, asking someone like Dame-Tsuna if he can have lunch with him? Clearly, the rest of the class must have thought the same thing, as their eyes were large as dinnerplates, and mouths were opened wide enough for flies to go in and Tsuna did not answer immediately, Yamamoto blinked, waving a hand playfully before the brunet. "Hey Tsuna?"  
>Shaking his head out of the daze, the brunet stammered, "Y-Yeah, that's ok, b-but are you sure it's alright?" He watched the superstar, caramel eyes searching for some sign of ill intent in those amber depths. In response, Yamamoto waved it off, laughing, "It's completely fine! I got nothing planned for today, so why not? Getting to know new people is always good."<p>

"But don't you have...your own friends, people you would rather be with?" Yamamoto's smile faltered for a fraction of a second that Tsuna thought he may had just imagined it. "No no, I want to spend lunch with you. It's fine, I  
>already told you!" Somehow, the laugh did not sound as convincing this time. Cautiously, but eagerly at the same time, Tsuna agreed. Contrary to what he thought, his conversations with the baseball star was not at all awkward or<br>embarrassing; Yamamoto was a natural conversationalist, so even Tsuna was able to find things to talk about, or when he was too embarrassed to continue, Yamamoto would just strike up a new topic. Tsuna was happy: really happy. But this only intensified his inner loathing for what was to come; experience told  
>him that if this much good could happen in one morning, then everything was bound to crash and fall in the afternoon. He was never lucky enough to actually have a good day.<p>

Of course, to settle his suspicions, gym class was directly after lunch. Much to the brunet's dismay, he  
>found out that the class was starting team sports again. Tsuna dreaded team sports; because of his infamous clumsiness, no one ever wanted him on their team. Even injured classmates were picked before Tsuna was. Simply put, he was always last, and the gym teacher had to choose which team to stick him on, since<br>they actually broke out into fights over keeping the brunet out of their team. He always watched in hurt fascination whenever that happened.

In the changing room, Tsuna always waited for everyone else to change and leave before he even bothered to think about pulling off his shirt. He would be teased for changing in a stall, so he simply waited now. Finally, the last boy left the room, and Tsuna was alone at last. Taking one last glance around the room, the  
>brunet pulled his navy blue vest over his head and unbuttoned his wrinkled white top, eyes meeting the familiar collection of bruises across his thin, scrawny chest. As it was winter now, his school uniform accommodated the embarrassing purple marks on his arms. It was too bad the gym clothes were short sleeved,<br>exposing his bruises for the whole class to see. Still, hiding his chest was better than nothing. Gingerly, the brunet fingered a bruise on his ribs, wincing. He wondered if he might have broken something.

"Haha, Tsuna, you haven't changed yet? You'll be late," came a familiar, cheery voice. The brunet jumped, slamming his head into the locker door above him. Howling in pain, he sunk to his knees, clutching his head. He heard running  
>feet, and felt strong hands resting on his shoulders.<p>

"Hey, you alright there? Sorry, did I startle you?" Yamamoto asked, concern leaking from his voice.

Looking up, the brunet flushed in embarrassment, quickly groping for his fallen shirt, messily pulling it over his head. Yamamoto watched silently, the smile disappearing from his face. "You've been hurt a lot, haven't you?"

Tsuna jumped again, face red as he looked up. The brunet got to his feet, stuttering, "It's not a big deal. U-Uh..." he rubbed his head, "Do you mind...if you leave so I can finish changing? I-I'm sorry if I sound rude. I don't mean t-"

Yamamoto was already walking away, laughing with a wave, "No problem! I'll be outside. See you soon!"

And he had just accepted it like that. Tsuna was shocked. He thought the baseball star would have at least questioned him about his reasons, but he had just walked away so easily without teasing him. Quickly, he slipped on his gym shorts, pouting at his chicken legs. It could not be helped; the brunet rushed out of the locker room so he would not be late for roll call.

After warming up, the dreaded moment had come: choosing the teams of today's sport, basketball.

Tsuna shifted uncomfortably, hanging around in the back of the crowd, knowing it would not matter. His ears perked when he heard Yamamoto called as a team captain, and ironically, Mochida was the other captain. The brunet prayed that he will be on Yamamoto's team, although he figured, despite his newfound  
>companionship with the athlete, his lack of skill would keep him off either team. So he simply prayed Yamamoto will lose the argument for where the brunet would-<p>

"Haha, Tsuna, come on over to my team!"

The gym went eerily quiet, and the buzzing of the old lights hanging from the gym became deafening. Every pair of eyes were glued on the teen, and said teen was sweating bullets.

"He's kidding right? Dame-Tsuna?" an incredulous boy suddenly called out.

"Yamamoto-kun! Did he bribe you or something?" a girl whined.

"Maybe he's sick or something. Yo, Yama-"

"Come on guys," Takeshi laughed, holding up his hands. "I'm totally fine. And I want Tsuna on my team. Hey, I can see you back there," he chirped.

Timidly, the brunet shuffled to the front, bashfully creeping behind Yamamoto, face blooming in red.

Mochida was scowling, and quickly growled out his choice. The team organization continued and each person joining Yamamoto's team stayed a distance away from Tsuna. Finally, the gym teacher started the game.

Everything went to hell.

Despite the team trying their best not to pass the ball to Tsuna, somehow it always got into his hands, or rather, it hit some part of his body as he tried to catch it...or he would miss...or dodge. The other team always went after Tsuna, knowing he was easy to shove through.

The game ended abruptly when one particularly nasty pass had ricocheted off the brunet's head, causing him to collapse. When he did not get back up, the coach blew his whistle to stop the game, since his students seemed to have no qualms about trampling their clumsy classmate. Yamamoto was the first one over to his friend, supporting the dazed brunet up from the floor.

"Tsuna, are you ok?" his voice sounded inappropriately cheerful, although the voice was muffled in Tsuna's ears. He made an effort to respond, but all he really managed was a groan and turn of his head, eyes squeezed shut as pain throbbed through his head. That was twice today he was attacked in the head! He would probably be brain-dead by the time he met up with Gokudera afterschool. Just thinking that sent another wave of pain through his head.

"Huh, maybe the nurse should take a look at him," the coach gruffed, chewing on his whistle. His tone and posture suggested that he actually did not care anymore than the students in his class did for the hopeless brunet. Mochida was snickering with his buddies off to the side, the true culprits behind that head-crushing blow. Taking the suggestion seriously, Yamamoto helped Tsuna to his feet, supporting him by the shoulders. The class was watching in awe, their complaints met with deaf ears as the duo left the gym. [2]

After a slow and tedious trek and several refusals from Tsuna to get a piggyback ride, they reached the nurse's office. The woman was no longer surprised to see Tsuna showing up. She had a bed prepared in advance, in fact, when she had heard that the coach was starting basketball. How embarrassing that was for the brunet.

Yamamoto watched as the nurse came back with an ice pack, handing it to the brunet. He accepted it graciously, placing it on his pounding head. The flush on his face started to seep away, although the brunet was quite aware of a pair of amber eyes staring at him.

"Sorry Yamamoto…" Tsuna croaked, eyes still closed, "I'm pathetic at sports, and you had to help me here."

"Maa, maa, it's not a problem at all. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses," laughed the carefree teen, who was lounging coolly on one of the seats in the room. "I don't care, really, haha!"

"That's the thing. I'm no good at anything," Tsuna murmured, the cold finally relaxing him. "My grades are at the bottom of the class, and I can't play sports. You're amazing at athletics. You're one of the fastest runners, and every team in school wants you to join them. And you're a total pro at baseball."

Because his eyes were closed, the brunet failed to see the smile drop from Yamamoto's face, but he had noticed the strained happiness in the taller teen's voice, "I'm not that good. I'm not remotely close to where I want to be. No matter how hard I work at it, I can't seem to get my batting right."

"Yamamoto?" Tsuna cracked open his eyes, but the smile had already returned to Yamamoto's face, although it held traces of strain.

"Baseball is everything to me. I have to be perfect at it, no matter what. It's all I have." The serious tone was uncharacteristic for the raven-haired boy, and Tsuna found himself at a loss for words. So he allowed Yamamoto to keep talking, "Hey Tsuna? How do you put up…with everything you do? How can you just…keep going?"

Tsuna could not believe he was having this kind of conversation with Yamamoto. Was it possible this perfect, athletic alpha male had insecurities? He seemed so cheerful and perfect; how was Tsuna even hearing any of this? Yamamoto was asking for advice, or at least some kind of potential answer to his problems. He acted like Tsuna was better at coping than he was. Well, the brunet was fairly sure whatever doubt this teen had about his baseball probably had not driven him to comtemplate suicide yet. To make the brunet into a sort of role model was preposterous.

Face blooming in crimson again, the brunet looked off to the side, stuttering, "W-Well...I-I'm really not that good at coping. I mean…" He could not talk about the suicide; what would Yamamoto think? "Well…I…um…just…" Remembering back to his words to his mother this morning, he blurted out, "I guess…just put more effort into things?" His voice was feeble as he continued, "I mean, my mom has it pretty hard…" he paused, his heart clenching, "and hate to think I'm a disappointment to her…and I know I am. So I suppose I just want to try harder, and put more effort into things for her…" Again, the brunet paused, "B-But since this is about you, I suppose…make the effort…for y-yourself?" He had never given advice before; was this good enough?

Yamamoto's face lit up, and the bright grin was back. "Oh! That makes sense!" The taller teen stood up, chirping, "Thanks Tsuna! I'll just have to practice even more, right?" The brunet blinked, nodding slowly. He could not believe the school's sports star just accepted pathetic advice from him. But to see the smile on Yamamoto's face was worth it, and the brunet returned a small smile of his own. "You should get back to class. I don't want to keep you."

"Haha, well alright. Get better soon Tsuna! I'll have sensei excuse you from afternoon classes so you can rest up. That ball hit your head pretty badly. Take it easy, alright?" he waved, starting to walk out.

"Y-You too! Don't overwork yourself," Tsuna blurted out, and the baseball star replied with a laugh. The footsteps sounded further away, and silence returned to the little nurse's office. Tsuna tried to sit up, but the pain in his head was still drumming dully.

"You best stay in bed, Sawada-kun," the nurse warned, giving him a small smile. "You seem pretty beat up regardless. I'll give your teacher a note too. Yamamoto does not actually have the power to have the teachers excuse you."

Really, with his charm and likability, Yamamoto could probably have the teachers wrapped around his finger if not for his less-than average grades.

The brunet laid there, pondering his thoughts. He was glad the nurse was at his side. That good-natured smile warmed him, just as his mother's did. But now, Tsuna realized others give him that smile too: Kyoko, Ryohei, Yamamoto, and even Reborn, to an extent.

The ice was beginning to melt, so Tsuna removed the squishy bag from his head, placing it next to him. He closed his eyes again, willing the pain to go away. He had a fight after school, but at the moment, he wanted nothing more than to sleep. So the brunet let the dark oblivion claim him, easing him into a restless sleep.

A shrill bell woke the brunet up hours later, marking the end of school. He blinked blurrily, listening to the irritating ring. In his dreamy state, Tsuna tried to reach the snooze on his alarm, but unfamiliar surroundings met his  
>touch. Some sense came back to him, and the brunet realized he was still at school. He must have fallen asleep, and that alarm was actually the school bell, marking the end of the school day.<p>

Somehow, he felt he forgot something. The silver glint of afternoon sun against the metal bars of the bed jogged his memory, however.

"HIIII! GOKUDERA-SAN!" the brunet sat up too quickly, and fell off the bed. Shaking himself clear, he stumbled to his feet, rushing out of the room, ignoring the nurse's calls. He nearly crashed into the students in the hall, and clumsily side-stepping them with apologies flying off his tongue. Even in his rush, Tsuna noticed the absence of the bullies with slight relief. Had they really decided to leave him alone from now on? Nevermind, he had to get to the back of the school before it was too late! Maybe Gokudera was not even there, since he did see Yamamoto take the brunet to the nurse's office. Maybe he had already gone home, postponing the fight for anoth-

"Took you long enough, runt."

Of course, as he turned the corner, there the delinquent was waiting, smoking his trademark cigarette, silver hair hanging limply in front of his piercing green eyes. Tsuna gulped, coming to a standstill. Because of his sprinting, the  
>headache had returned, and the boy tried his hardest not to show any weakness.<p>

"Oh good, Tsuna is here now," came Reborn's voice. Tsuna glanced around, trying to find the little baby, finally spotting him sitting at the base of a tree. The hitman was cross legged, lounging against the trunk in his stylish suit. "Ciaossu. I assume both sides are ready to fight?" a small smile played on his tiny lips.

"Let's get this shit over with," Gokudera growled, taking another drag from his tobacco before biting down, his mouth pulled into a sneer. Tsuna took a step back, already intimidated. Who was he kidding? Gokudera always intimidated him, but having a confrontation with the delinquent only made the silverette more terrifying. All the brunet could manage was a robotic head nod.

"Then you may begin," Reborn chirped, firing a blank from his green gun. Almost immediately, Gokudera had snatched up dynamite between his fingers, holding them up expertly. With a quick swipe of his arms, the sticks lit up, crackling menacingly as the strings were consumed by the sparks.

/Did he just light them with his cigarette?/ Tsuna gaped, and in his loss of concentration, he failed to notice that Gokudera had already thrown the bombs at him. He saw them a moment too late, barely dodging as eight bombs went off simultaneously. The sound was tremendous, shaking the air with the released pressure and heat. Tsuna flew off to the side, his back slamming into the school wall. He gasped, keeling over onto his knees. Those bombs were real: the heat, the pressure, the force, the pain. At this rate, Tsuna was-

Another set of bombs were flying over, and Tsuna dived off to the side, narrowly dodging the following explosion. He gaped at the clearing smoke as a section of the wall had been damaged. The poor flora that was growing along the side was decimated, replaced by blackened stems and ashes. /He's going to kill me!/ the brunet realized.

Gokudera was not impressed. The runt was everything he expected, and worse; he was cowardly, weak, spineless, the most pathetic piece of scum he had ever encountered. The ridiculous sounds the brunet made burned the silverette's ears, and his quivering, battered form was disgusting to behold. The bomber withdrew twice as much dynamite as before, snarling, "Quit dodging, runt! You're unfit to be the Vongola boss: I'll you to pieces and get you out of the freaking way. You aren't even fit enough to be my subordinate." Without respite, the next  
>onslaught of explosives was tossed at the brunet, who was still recovering from the last dodge. At the same moment, a familiar voice sounded off to the side.<p>

"Oh hey, Tsuna! Haha, so you're alright now?"

The brunet whipped around in horror, seeing a grinning Yamamoto shouldering his baseball bat at the corner. He must have been on his way to practice. Tsuna realized that the bombs were a danger to Yamamoto too. Eyes hardening, the brunet gasped, "Yamamoto, get back!"

Without a thought, the brunet rushed towards his friend, grabbing onto two of sticks of dynamite closer to Yamamoto, the brunet clutched at the burning end and screamed in pain when the flares burned his palms. In the process, however, Tsuna managed to deactivate the dynamite, and in a desperate move, he shoved Yamamoto back, and not a moment too soon. The two missed the explosion just in time, dust whipping furiously around them.

"Woah, what's going on back there?" Yamamoto gaped, unable to see anything through the thick dust. The superstar rubbed his eyes, trying to get any of the dirt that got in them. Panicking, Tsuna blurted out, "C-Construction! They're fixing something back there. You should get out of here!" He pushed at the baseball player, trying to force him to turn around, noticing grimly that his blood was getting onto Yamamoto's white by the dust, Yamamoto obliged.

"Haha, wow really? I didn't hear anything about that," Yamamoto laughed, walking forward. "Alright, guess I'll take another route to the baseball diamond. See you tomorrow then Tsuna!" With that, the teen ran off, leaving a surprised and relieved Tsuna behind. Yamamoto had fallen for his lie so easily! However, his relief came too soon.

He heard a bitter chuckle through the cloud of dust, and Gokudera sneered, "Tch. Pathetic."

Tsuna saw the dynamite surround him in the corner of his eye, and only moved a step before they exploded. The momentum caused him to fly towards a tree, and the brunet desperately splayed his hands in front of him to brace for the impact. His right hand hit the trunk just the wrong way, and a painful and awkward twist sent shivers of pain jutting up the brunet's arm. He cried out, the rest of his body crumbling at the base of the tree.

Panting, Tsuna got to his knees, cradling his throbbing wrist. Dizzily, he sat up against the tree trunk and gazed up at Gokudera, who looked absolutely livid that Tsuna had dodged yet again. Reborn was watching, calculating onyx eyes staring at the dueling pair.

Gokudera scowled. Just before one of his assaults, he swore he had seen the runt rush out to save that baseball idiot from his class. He felt a nagging annoyance in his gut, and shoved it off. Hayato gritted his teeth. Only weaklings protected others; that was something he had been forcing himself to accept. Fed up, the bomber whipped his hands into his shirt again, but Tsuna was already heading towards him.

With his good hand, the brunet grabbed onto one of Gokudera's wrists, gasping, "S-Stop this! You're g-going to hurt others and destroy m-more school property!" Trembling caramel eyes pleaded with hard emeralds that had narrowed in irritation. Gokudera withdrew a hand packed full of bombs.

Surprised, but furious, the silverette hissed, "Let go of me, lowly runt!" Tsuna refused, gripping tightly with his left hand as his life depended on it, although it most certainly did in this situation. Stubbornly, Gokudera took out another ridiculous amount of bombs with his struggling hand, lighting all the bombs he held viciously. A strong kick to the stomach made the brunet let go, and Tsuna stumbled back, falling on to his back. At that moment, a bang resounded through the air, and blood flew.

Unfortunately, the struggle had caused the bomber to drop the lit sticks. He watched in horror as the sticks scattered all across the yard, Tsuna unmoving on the ground.

/I had just made a new friend today, and he was nearly hurt because of this dangerous fight…/

Gokudera's eyes widened; he had not anticipated dropping his own explosives. The fuses were nearly at their end, and the smoker could not possibly diffuse them all in time.

/People could get hurt. Property destroyed. I already am hurting. Part of the school is already blown up./

The silverette began to run, but everywhere he turned, the crackling flames of his bombs just reflected back into his eyes.

/I would regret not preventing these bombs from exploding. I would regret getting hurt. I would regret letting others get hurt. I would regret letting Gokudera get hurt when I could have stopped him./

Bracing himself for the inevitable pain, Gokudera stopped, rather than risk getting blown off in some direction and crashing into a hard obstacle. At least the brunet would be blown up. He would have rid the Vongola of a pesky runt; the silverette closed his eyes with grim satisfaction, waiting.

But the explosions never came.

A faint sound of ripping clothing was the only thing he heard, and he turned around, eyes widening at the sight before him.

Scattered all about the ground were his dynamite, diffused. The string ends were all blackened stubs, nearly at the explosive's main body. In the midst of the mess, the brunet stood, but he looked nothing like how he usually did; a burning flame engulfed his forehead, flickering wildly. His face was absolutely ferocious, caramel eyes on fire, and he was only wearing his striped boxers. The silverette gawked, trying to take in the scene. Realization dawned on him. The brunet…had saved him? Not only that, but he had done so by diffusing the mass of bombs on the ground. Even the bomber had to admit he was greatly impressed. Instead of running away, which seemed like the better option, Tsuna had chosen to save him. Him, the person who, just moments ago, had attempted to blow him to pieces.

Hayato Gokudera's pride was shattered. Attacking someone who had just saved his life was wrong even by his standards, so his will to fight had died. Tsuna suddenly ran up to him, yelling, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU COULD HAVE HURT SOMEONE. OR YOURSELF." Taken aback, Gokudera could only blink at the fury eminating from the brunet, more surprised by his words than his appearance.

Scowling, Gokudera shoved his hands into his pockets, looking away. He wanted to say nothing to the brunet, and did not want to admit that he was defeated. His eyes did flicker to the flame on the Tsuna's forehead, and he felt a sort of awe. A person who boasted flames like those was definitely powerful. But where had this runt been hiding his power all this time? Why did he never show it when he was being tormented? Suspicious emeralds flickered to the hitman baby, who innocently held his gun. Onyx eyes twinkled, a smirk quirking at the corner of the infant's lips. A silent understanding was exchanged.

Reborn suddenly chirped up, "Good job Tsuna. It seems like Gokudera has lost. You won this one."

Blinking, the brunet seemed to calm down, the flame dissipating into the air before he collapsed. "Thank god…I thought I was going to die…" Tsuna breathed out, dropping his head between his knees, taking in deep breaths. All the pain in his body was suddenly multiplied; his twisted wrist, burnt and bloody palms, throbbing head, and various bruises on his torso protested against any movement, including breathing.

Staring down at the collapsed figure, the silverette practically wanted to vomit. "I admit defeat…Tsunayoshi Sawada," Gokudera grated, "As the rules say, I must become your subordinate now. I swear…" he gritted his teeth, "my loyalty to you." The situation was so twisted; Tsuna looked more like the defeated one, and if not for Hayato's irritating code of honor, the brunet would have been a goner by now.

"HIIIIII?" the brunet squealed, head snapping up, taken aback. "W-What? I didn't know about a rule like that…" He looked to Reborn, who was still smirking.

Hayato sighed. Seriously, why did he have to be stuck with a hopeless idiot? "Well. There is. So get the hell over it." Tsuna flinched, looking down again. "But…I don't even want to be boss…" he murmured.

The silverette was sick of this brunet. He turned to leave, but Reborn called out, "Wait a moment Hayato. This is the future boss of the Vongola. You're his subordinate now. Do you really think he can go home by himself now?" The baby hitman was smirking, knowing full well he was pushing Gokudera to his limits. "Don't family members take care of each other?"

In retaliation, the bomber hissed, "If he defeated me, he should damn well be able to get home by himself." However, even by looking at the brunet, Hayato knew that there was no way the brunet would make it home in his condition; in fact, he should be in a hospital. Snarling, he bent down, picking up the discarded clothes and tossed them at the brunet. "Put some clothes on. I'll take you home." When Tsuna failed to move, Gokudera slung the torn shirt over his torso, grabbing his shoes and pants in the other hand.

Going home turned out to be an extremely awkward experience. Gokudera was nowhere as gentle or kind as Yamamoto had been in helping Tsuna, only dragging the boy by his armpits to his house. Tsuna eventually tried to squirm free, but the bomber's glare was so terrifying that he only squeaked and hung on, feet dragging. Either way,he was at a loss; in addition, his clothes were shredded again, and even Tsuna knew Reborn had shot him with the Dying Will bullet again. The looks the duo received were no better either.

Once at the door, Tsuna suddenly realized a dilemma. "Oh no!" he whined, "I-I left my bag at school! M-My keys are in there..." He gazed fearfully up at the silverette.

The aura that the bomber seemed to emit was close to murderous. Squeaking, Tsuna tried the knob, surprised that it opened. After wiping off the blood hastily, he stumbled into the house, noticing the lights were on. Strange, was his mother already home?

Gokudera hung back at the door, arms crossed. Tsuna gulped, "U-Um…you're welcome to come in." He gestured timidly to the inside, face looking down.

Tossing a glare at the brunet, the bomber growled, "Whatever." He stepped into the house, flinging off his shoes. He watched as the brunet toddled timidly to one of the rooms, peering in. Tsuna's eyes lit up in surprised, and he gaped, "Mom? Why are you home? W-Wait, what's wrong?"

Nana was staring off into space, eyes slightly red. She jumped when she heard her son, wiping her eyes hastily. "Oh, Tsu-kun! You're home!" she smiled, but the sadness that consumed it was evident. She pored over Tsuna's appearance, gasping, "Tsu-kun, what ha-"

"Answer me first! What's wrong? Something went wrong right?" Disregarding his shocking condition, Tsuna interruped Nana.

The mother flinched, and she went back to her staring. Finally, she sighed, "I…lost my job today. The one at the law firm."

Tsuna felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped on him.

"Wh-What? Why?" he demanded. He hated what his mother had to go through for that job, but to suddenly lose it like that was horrible. She had worked so hard, and sacrificed so much! And now- "What happened?"

"My boss…apparently he was arrested," Nana laughed softly, wiping her eyes again. "It's funny. I really hated that job. Can't say I liked that man very much either. Yet I'm upset. Why is that?" she smiled at her son, lips wavering. And he saw it: all the pain and disappointment, all the guilt that she had lost an important job, no matter how much she despised it.

Tsuna felt his blood run cold, and he mumbled, "Excuse me a moment…" Leaving his mother to compose herself, he turned back to the hall, where Gokudera and Reborn were still at the door. The silverette tried to look bored, but the curiosity in his eyes was telling.

Almost immediately, Tsuna was frantically blurting, "Reborn! Mom's lost her job because her terrible boss was fired. Do you know why?"

"Who knows?" the hitman replied casually, tipping up his fedora, "I don't keep track of fodder like him."

"B-But…!" Tsuna's lips trembled, and he pleaded, "Wait, can't you help her? L-Like help her get a new job, o-or…!"

"That's not what the mafia is for, Tsuna," Reborn's eyes glinted dangerously. The brunet seemed to ignore it, continuing, "But Mom! She's tried so hard, and now-"

"Dame-Tsuna, Mama is hard-working. Why can't she find herself a new job? She's capable."

Frozen, the brunet pondered those words for a moment. Gokudera seemed to be waiting for an answer himself. His lips set, and Tsuna looked at Reborn with a spark of detemination in his caramel depths. "Because I love her, a-and I never want her to be stuck with another scumbag again." He fell to his knees, caramel meeting onyx. "Please Reborn! For my Mom!"

Gokudera could only watch in shock. He did not know the circumstances behind the woman's life, but Tsuna clearly loved his mother very much, and was practically groveling at Reborn's feet just to help her. A smirk pulled up on the hitman's face, and the doorbell rang. No one moved. Nana did not emerge from the kitchen, and her son was still staring blankly at Reborn. The baby said, "Dame-Tsuna, what are you doing? Answer the door." Blinking, Tsuna obliged, completely forgetting that he was half naked in his distressed daze.

"Is this the Sawada residence?" A foreign man was at the door, dressed up in a fancy suit, dark shades over his eyes. Eyebrows shot up at the brunet's appearance. Tsuna's eyes widened, but he managed to stammer a response.

"Y-Yes…?"

"Very well then," the man cleared his throat, pulling out an envelope. "I am the manager of the Vongola restaurant here in Namimori. I have come to offer a job position to a Nana Sawada-san in this household. May I please come in?"

Tsuna gawked, looking between the man and Reborn. The baby was still smirking, "Dame-Tsuna, you should offer hospitality to your guests."

Shaking his head, the brunet gasped, "R-Right. Pl-Please come in!" Still shaken up, Tsuna led the man to the kitchen, where a sudden flurry of conversation began between the three occupants. Reborn and Gokudera hung back at the door, and the silverette was silent, face thoughtful.

"Reborn, you had planned this all out from the very beginning, didn't you?" the bomber asked. Smiling, the hitman chuckled, "Who knows? But I do hope you see what kind of person Tsuna is now. I did not make a wrong choice, as you can see." His tone was smug, well reflected in his face.

Mouth dropping open slightly, Gokudera only chuckled, eyes closed. So Reborn had planned for the outcome of the duel, even anticipating the bomber's visit to the Sawada residence. He would not be surprised if the hitman had been the cause of the arrest as well. Memories of his beautiful mother floated into his mind, and a warmth seemed to spread through his body. He was unable to save her, and deemed himself weak as a result. No matter how he tried to deny his weakness, it was always present, and he had taken this anger out on the brunet. Finally, Hayato Gokudera opened his eyes, emeralds glinting brightly. "Tsunayoshi Sawada…no," he smiled, a spark of admiration twinkling in an emerald sea, "Jyuudaime…he is a man worth following."

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><p><strong>Dear god, can a person fall in love with writing a fic? Because I think I just did, haha. I had so much fun writing this that I lost track of my words REALLY quickly. It is a bit longer than last chapter though. I know I've got this funky habit of calling characters by their first names until Tsuna starts calling them by last names. I don't know why I do that actually LOL. I try to go back to change it all, but once I try to, I'm like, "...I like them like this..." I'll drop first names once in a while, just to switch up the variety.<strong>

**I had intended this to be a more Gokudera-centered chapter, but I ended up making it about Yamamoto for most of it...which is a pity since next chapter is mostly about Yamamoto as well. :/ I apologize for that. I'll definitely have some Gokudera hurt/comfort later. And I already decided on the pairing for him. You had just a tiny taste of it earlier haha. It's so tiny though, so I suppose it's nearly irrelevant.**

**[1] Think it's safe to say that Yamamoto is one of my favorite characters. Heh. I can't decide if I like him or Tsuna better.**

**[2] Lol I'm sorry. I think I'm getting too 8027 for my own good. I'm not actually supportive of that pairing, but Yamamoto is so hopelessly helpful and adorable…haha.**

**Please review so I know what I'm doing right or wrong! It keeps me motivated to write. I mean, I'm really tired right now, but because you guys seem to love it so much, I couldn't help but write more for you guys. So please review! Much appreciated!**

**Peace out,**  
><strong>~Alexie<strong>


	4. Spirit of a Sportsman

**Wowie, I'm terribly sorry for the long wait! I was totally caught up by homework and art the week before break, and didn't have time to write! Sorry! **

**Also, I apologize for not updating over Christmas or New Years. :C I wasted the first week of break over playing Maplestory and raging over my failing internet, then the second week was spent in Southern California with my cousins. I got some writing done during my downtime, and finally managed to finish today. Woo! So sorry for the wait! I have finals in about 2 weeks, so I may be late for the next update, but I most certainly did not give up! ^^ **

**I also saw a little comic about the comma, so I will be using the "Oxford comma" more often so I can avoid…funny sounding situations. ;u; **

**I reread some old reviews to get the motivation I needed to keep writing. You guys are so sweet for taking time to even give me reviews! ;u; I'd appreciate it if you can still review! Thanks guys!**

**Last Chapter: Tsuna resolved to better himself after his suicidal episode, and found luck in his blooming friendship with the Sasagawa siblings. Takeshi Yamamoto, baseball extraordinaire at Namimori Middle, befriended Tsuna after accidentally hitting him in the head with a baseball. The athlete revealed insecurities to Tsuna, seeking advice from the unsure brunet. Tsuna somehow inspired Yamamoto to improve on his baseball, causing the athlete to enthusiastically train after school. Meanwhile, Tsuna had his death match with Gokudera, which ended in the latter's reluctant defeat after the brunet unwittingly saved the silverette's life. Because Tsuna was tired and hurt, Gokudera was forced to take his new boss home. However, when the future boss of the Vongola returned home, he found his mother had been laid off of her job at the law firm due to the untimely arrest of her slimy boss. Tsuna begged Reborn to help her secure a new job, impressing and gaining the respect of Gokudera in the process. At that moment, an agent of the Vongola restaurant arrived bringing a job offer for Nana. With the family's luck turned around, things only seemed to get better for Tsuna.**

**Warnings: Suicide attempts **

**Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. I would make it far too cheesy if I did.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 4: Spirit of a Sportsman<em>

* * *

><p>It took Tsuna a few moments to snap out of his surprise to realize he was still filthy and half naked. Once he did, he quickly excused himself, allowing the agent from the Vongola restaurant to continue to talk to his mother. He turned around, and in his rush, nearly smacked into a wall. However something firm had caught him just in time, saving him from another bruise added to his battered body.<p>

"Let me help you, Juudaime," came a familiar and uncharacteristically light-hearted voice. Blinking, the brunet looked up, gasping when Gokudera's smiling face met his eyes. The bomber did not hold a single trace of a scowl on his face, and his eyes almost seemed to shine; he was completely transformed from earlier.

"G-Gokudera-san?" squeaked the boy, standing back up straight, eyes unbelieving. "U-Um...thanks. B-But uh..." he timidly played with the torn edge of his school uniform, "don't you hate me?" The words came out soft and feeble, and Tsuna looked down, face flushed. What a blunt thing to ask!

Gokudera did not seem to mind, however. "I am your subordinate now. Of course I would help you!" the silverette grinned, "Oh and you can be more informal with my name. You can call me Hayato if you'd like."

"HIIII?" Now Tsuna was receiving a second shock. Gokudera had changed so much in the space of a few minutes. Unconsciously, Tsuna found his eyes wandering to Reborn; the baby hitman was smiling, a twinkle in his eye. Obviously, Tsuna owed all of the newfound fortune to the little mafioso. He opened his mouth to thank Reborn, but the baby chirped, "Dame-Tsuna. You're filthy. You should not greet important guests in your state. Go and clean up."

Just like that, Tsuna's mouth closed, and he sighed. The nickname was not as hurtful anymore, but he always lost his will to talk after hearing it. Nodding, the brunet started to head to the stairs, the bomber trailing behind him happily. The aura the silverette was emitting was uncomfortable and unsettling to Tsuna even though it held no ill intent; it was just unusual. He did not dare say anything otherwise, fearing this newfound complacency from Gokudera would disappear if he did.

Gazing at the stairs just made Tsuna want to collapse. There was no way he could clim-

"HIII!" the brunet screamed as Gokudera somehow scooped him up into his arms, carrying the smaller boy. Clutching for dear life, Tsuna squeaked, "Gokudera-san! Th-this is unnecessary!"

"You're hurt, Juudaime. Please, as the one who hurt you, let me help you up the stairs." A familiar grimace swept across Gokudera's face, "You had trouble walking home, after all. I also apologize for causing you the trouble the way home." With that, the silverette started easily up the stairs, careful not to jostle his boss's wounds. "And again, Gokudera-san is too formal. Please call me Hayato, or at least without the -san honorific."

The brunet flushed, mumbling, "I-I still find it unnecessary, but thanks...Gokudera-kun. And you don't have to call me Juudaime. Tsu-Tsuna is fine.."

"I can't do that. You're my boss. I have to show you some respect!" the silverette huffed, reaching the top. He set the deadpanning brunet down, who thanked him again, thoroughly embarrassed. Tsuna led the way to his room, shuffling in.

"Er...y-you can stay here while I-I bathe. I-I...uh...don't mind..." His face continued to be red. Tsuna had never been in a situation where he invited someone over to his house, much less let them into his room. Somehow, he trusted Gokudera would not destroy it; it already looked like a hurricane had run through it anyways, much to his embarrassment. The silverette seemed almost ecstatic, however, gazing around the room like it was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. It scared Tsuna a little, and he asked, "I-Is my room that exciting?"

"No no, it's just exactly as I imagined!" the bomber chirped. Tsuna wondered just what he meant by that.

The brunet grabbed some clothes to change into, heading back to the hall. He stopped at his door, and turned around. "Erm, Gokudera-kun?"

"Juudaime?" the bomber questioned, turning to face his new boss. He seemed to have accepted the new name.

Fidgeting, the brunet babbled, "I-I know earlier you r-really didn't like me. So w-why are you so nice to me now? E-Everything you said about me was right. I'm weak, pathetic, and cowardly. So why-"

"I was wrong," the bomber sat back calmly, still smiling, chuckling, "Ok, maybe not completely. But it was not fair to judge Juudaime based on that only." Gokudera scratched his cheek, pale face dusting in red, "You care about others. You put others before yourself, even if they're undeserving." Tsuna gaped as the bomber continued, "What you did for your mother was amazing. To throw away so much pride like that-"

"But Reborn had already prepared that in advance! It would not have made a diff-"

"You did not know though right?" Gokudera interrupted back. Tsuna stopped talking, blinking in surprise. "Without knowing, you still begged him to helped your mother. I saw none of that weak, cowardly or pathetic guy when you did that." Gokudera stopped, brightening, "And that's why I follow you, Juudaime!"

Tsuna stood, mouth ajar. "G-Gokudera-kun..." His fists tightened over his clothes and the red faded from his cheeks. "Thank you. But I don't want to be a mafia boss," he looked up nervously, "We could...uh...be..." He could not get that last word out. He had never dared say it in his life, let alone-

"Friends?" Gokudera asked. Tsuna flinched, jaw dropping. Did he just hear...?

"That's fine too! But you'll still be Juudaime to me no matter what. I'll work hard for you, and become the best right hand man to you!"

/He's totally jumping the gun! And he completely disregarding the first part of his words!/ Tsuna's shock twisted. But still...

The brunet beamed, "Th-then...friends?"

Gokudera nodded vigorously, "Of course, Juudaime!" The brunet had no doubt the silverette meant it.

Forget that he had insulted Tsuna and tried to kill him. Forget that he hated Tsuna with burning ferocity just a moment before. Forget that he was now fanatical about becoming Tsuna's subordinate, and his right hand man at that. The brunet only felt happiness at the moment, happiness for yet another new friend; Hayato Gokudera's proclamation sounded genuine and heartfelt, and Tsuna had no doubt about his words.

After cleaning and changing, Tsuna was helped down the stairs by Gokudera. The two entered the kitchen, where Nana was chatting happily with Reborn. The Vongola man had left. Blinking, Tsuna asked, "So what did he say?"

"Oh, Tsu-kun! You look much better now!" Nana chirped, concern lighting in her eyes. "Are you ok?" She eyed the new bruises and bandages, but Tsuna just laughed nervously, "Y-Yea! It's all fine now. Really, it is!" For once, it was not a lie. The mother seemed to sense something different about her son, nodding slowly. She began to answer his initial question quite enthusiastically.

"That was Salerno-san of the Vongola restaurant in Namimori. He offered me a job as an at-home caterer, and I accepted!"

Face breaking into a smile, Tsuna exclaimed, "That's amazing Mom! W-Wait, at-home caterer?" his tone turned questioning.

"I have to go through job training to learn how to cook Italian dishes for the next few weeks at the restaurant, but afterwards, I can work at home. I will receive catering orders, and all I have to do is make them, and someone will come to pick up and deliver the food. They'll start paying me this week, even though I will only be training. The salary is more than my two jobs combined, so I can quit the day-care job and do this full time. It's a pity though," she paused in her explanation, "I will miss the day-care. I do so love being around children."

Shocked, Tsuna gaped, "H-How can the job be that good?"

"Consider it a favor from the Vongola, Tsuna," Reborn suddenly said, startling the boy. A glint was in his eye, and Tsuna sensed that there were going to be repercussions from this deal. "Of course, we expect the favor to be returned," the hitman piped.

/I knew it! He's practically blackmailing me!/ Tsuna twitched slightly at the knowing smirk that crossed Reborn's face.

"I'll do my best not to disappoint, Reborn-chan!" Nana chirped, clasping her hands together. "Thank you for recommending me to your cousin! I am indebted to you."

"You would be perfect for the job, Mama. That's why I picked you," the hitman chuckled, sipping some espresso.

"You're too sweet, Reborn-chan. Oh, I know! Let's go out and celebrate then!" Nana's eyes twinkled, and Tsuna knew she was celebrating more than finding a new job. She was celebrating her newfound luck, and the end of a pitiful and painful existence. Tsuna was incredibly happy for her, and agreed wholeheartedly.

"There's a sushi place near here I would like to try out. Let's go there for a celebration dinner," Reborn piped up, then his eyes landed on Gokudera. He had been lingering behind Tsuna, not wanting to interrupt the family's joyous celebration. Understanding, Tsuna gasped, stuttering, "I-I'm so sorry, Gokudera-kun! M-Mom, this is Hayato Gokudera. He's...my friend." That word sent a warm feeling through Tsuna, and he turned around, smiling, "Gokudera-kun. This is my mother."

"It's a pleasure to meet the mother of such a great man!" Gokudera beamed, bowing. Nana laughed, waving her hand. "Gokudera-kun, that's going overboard! It's nice to meet you too. Tsu-kun never told me he had a friend!" She gazed imploringly at her son, who jumped. The circumstances behind their sudden friendship was definitely not a story to tell her.

"H-He's a classmate. We just got to k-know each other today," Tsuna explained nervously, rubbing his neck. His mother took the explanation without question, beaming, "I'm just glad you brought a friend home! You should do it more often. I'll cook dinner sometime, now that I have time! But please, Gokudera-kun, come with us to celebrate! We can celebrate your new friendship with Tsu-kun too!"

"Mom, that's embarrassing..."

"Thank you for your generosity! I accept the invitation with honor!"

Goodness, Nana Sawada's jubilance was absolutely contagious. Tsuna's face was beginning to hurt from continuously smiling; he was not used to it. He turned to Reborn, who was just finishing his espresso. "Which restaurant were you talking about?"

"I'll lead the way there. Let's go, I'm hungry," Reborn chirped, finishing his espresso and hopping out of the seat. Tsuna blinked, and felt his mother tug at his arm. "Let's go, Tsu-kun!"

With Gokudera trailing behind, Tsuna ran back up the stairs, tripped on the last step, and stumbled to his room to grab his sweatshirt. He was mindful of not falling on the way down, and at the last step, he sighed with relief. His ears perked to the sound of Reborn's voice, "I'll treat this time, Mama. No need to refuse."

"Eh? Where did you get the money to do that?" Tsuna appeared around the corner, blinking in surprise. Reborn smirked, sending shivers up the brunet's spine.

"From my cousin, of course," the hitman smiled, but his clumsy student had the feeling that the baby was lying.

Nana chatted with Gokudera as they walked, and Tsuna was quite surprised that the bomber had such formal manners while speaking. He had never seen the silverette speak so respectfully to anyone, and had a sneaking suspicion that he was trying to gain Nana's approval. Tsuna's mother probably accepted any friend Tsuna makes at this point.

Half an hour later, the party stood outside a neighborhood sushi bar. It was a family business, as there were clearly living quarters above the restaurant. A bright sign reading "Takesushi" hung overhead, a beacon for hungry dinner-goers. [1]

The interior was plain and simple, and a sushi bar dominated one side of the room. Stairs hidden behind curtains indicated an upstairs closed off to the public. Since it was still early, there were few customers seated. A middle-aged man at the bar looked up from his sushi creations, grinning, "Welcome! I'll be right with you. Please," he wiped his hands, gesturing to an empty table for four, "Take a seat. We're short on hands right now since my son is staying late at school today."

The group did as they were told. Hayato insisted on the younger Sawada sitting next to him, and Reborn plopped down on the vacant seat next to Mama. Moments later, the chef came over, pulling out a notebook. "Sorry about that, folks. What may I get you today?"

Tsuna gazed up timidly at the chef, wondering why he seemed vaguely familiar. He felt a nudge at his foot, and turned to meet his mother's gaze. "Tsu-kun, what would you like to eat?"

"O-Oh!" The brunet buried his nose in the menu, quickly scanning the entrees. He never really tried raw fish before, and noticed a tuna sushi. He liked tuna, so perhaps it was similar?

"Oh, um...the fatty tuna please," he muttered, pointing at pink-meat fish. The chef laughed, jotting down the order. "You're in luck. I just bought a really nice tuna today. Fresh. You like tuna, son?" Tsuna nodded, embarrassed. The manager chef only laughed again, putting away the notebook. "Alright, I'll send someone with some tea. Sit tight folks."

The chef was about to wave good-bye when someone at the sushi bar called out to him, "Hey, Yamamoto! Want to go have a drink later after shop closes?"

"Yeah Tsuyoshi! Come with us!" another man called.

"Maybe, Isao, Hideki. Depends when Takeshi gets back. I swear, I can't run a shop without that boy around," Yamamoto laughed, and finally, Tsuna realized what was so familiar.

"Y-Yamamoto-san?" the brunet stammered in surprise, earning a reciprocated expression on the older man's face. "You're Yamamoto's father?"

"Oh! You're friends of Takeshi!" Understanding filled the older man, "Why didn't you say so? What's your name?" Tsuyoshi laughed, and Tsuna was hit by the uncanny resemblance between the father and son. They both had the same short of short black hair, the same amber eyes, and their laughs sounded so similar. Takeshi could have passed off as a younger Tsuyoshi, but there was a fairness about Takeshi's features that was not present in Tsuyoshi's masculinity.[1]

Tsuna was about to deny that he and Yamamoto were friends; he could not believe that he could be considered a close acquaintance with the superstar, even if he  
>did spend an unusual proportion of time with him today. However, the brunet just replied, "Y-Yea...we're classmates. I-I'm uh...Tsunayoshi Sawada."<p>

Amber eyes lit up, and Tsuyoshi grinned, "You don't say huh? So you're Tsuna?"

"Hiii?" the teen gasped, blinking owlishly, "Yamamoto...m-mentioned me?"

"He did. When he called to let me know he would be late, he said a friend named Tsuna had inspired him to work harder at his baseball. That boy." Tsuyoshi sighed, wiping some sweat from his forehead. "He's always such a fanatic about that sport. But I suppose I should thank you. He seemed to be a bit down lately. I was getting kinda worried...seemed like something was up..." Tsuyoshi's eyes seemed to darken for a moment, and Tsuna frowned, something tugging at his insides.

However, Yamamoto's father perked back up again, "But my son sounded so inspired when he called me afterschool," Tsuyoshi laughed, clapping Tsuna on the back heartily, causing the boy to cough in surprise. "Well, I've been dautling too long. But this time the meal will be on the house! Consider it a gift for lifting my boy's spirits!"

"Oh, Yamamoto-san, we can't possibly accept that!" Nana suddenly chirped, frowning a bit. The sushi chef just waved her off with another laugh, walking away. "Don't worry about it!"

"Tch. Baseball freak. Calling the Tenth a friend," an irritated voice muttered next to the Tsuna. Gokudera had propped an elbow on the table, grumbling to himself. The silverette had never really had an encounter with the superstar, but the sunny disposition thoroughly pissed him off.

And that laugh. Oh, that laugh.

Gokudera continued to tear the baseball maniac into shreds inside his mind as his boss remained silent.

The brunet did not hear his friend's comment, as his face had flushed crimson. First Kyoko and her brother called him a friend, then Gokudera, and now Yamamoto. Was he really their friend? Perhaps that term meant a lot to him, but was it really that meaningful to others? Was it not just tossed around easily by others? Tsuna slumped deeper into his seat, blushing madly. Across the table, his mother giggled, "Aw, Tsu-kun is completely red in the face! That's so cute, you're making friends!"

"M-Mom!" Tsuna cried, covering his pink cheeks. Gokudera seemed to hum a little. Reborn only smirked, gazing around. "Who is Yamamoto? He isn't someone I have heard of before."

/Of course not! He's totally normal!/ Tsuna grimaced, but started to explain. "He's my classmate. He's really good at baseball and is really friendly, so he's really popular with everyone."

"Interesting. You should make him part of your family."

Gokudera twitched, but Tsuna refused almost immediately, "N-No way! Th-there's no w-"

"You're stuttering again," Reborn's eyes flashed, and Tsuna gulped. In front of his mother, Reborn reframed from using the degrading nickname, but it did not stop the hitman from being any less scary or demanding. Nana Sawada smiled with confusion, wondering what the two kids were speaking about.

"Don't pull Yamamoto into this! He's got a good, normal life, so don't mess it up!" the brunet squeaked. Gokudera nodded, as he did not want someone like Yamamoto joining the Vongola. The silverette knew that the baseball freak would not take the whole family thing seriously, and deemed him too weak and stupid to be of any use anyways. Reborn seemed to think differently, however.

"I want to meet him. Introduce me tomorrow, Tsuna," Reborn smiled, a knowing glint in his eye.

"What? N-No! Absolutely not!"

"Tsu-kun!" Nana suddenly scolded, "You shouldn't be so mean to Reborn-chan! He's been so nice to us today! Let him meet Yamamoto! I think it's cute you are all playing a game of house like this!"

"We're actually in the mafia, Mama," Reborn corrected.

Nana blinked, "I guess I know why you wear a suit now!" She giggled, "How cute! A mafia role play game!"

The brunet whirled on his mother, horrified, "Game? This isn't a g-"

"Alrighty, one order of fatty tuna, right here!" Yamamoto senior interrupted, cutting the brunet's words right off. The rest of the food arrived shorty, taking everyone's thoughts about the previous argument away. "Please enjoy! Thanks again for my son, Tsunayoshi-kun!" he laughed, patting the brunet on his back. The boy nodded timidly, grabbing his chopsticks. One taste and he was hooked on the sushi; Tsuyoshi happily brought another serving out, causing Tsuna to blush madly and bow in thanks. Gokudera snorted, mumbling under his breath as he chomped on the sushi with a bored expression. The young boss deadpanned at his friend's horrid manners, but refrained from commenting.

Yamamoto was not brought up once more that night, and after filling their bellies with their complimentary meal, the quartet wave good night to their generous chef and headed back to Tsuna's house.

At home, Hayato helped Tsuna set up a simple hammock for Reborn to sleep in, which the baby spent many minutes directing small changes to. After he was finally satisfied, he wasted no time in changing and hopped in, snoring away in his pink pajamas. Gokudera bid the Sawadas good night and headed home himself, leaving Tsuna a chance to finally rest after the long and tiring day.

Tsuna went to bed that night sore, bruised, and tired, but happy. Very happy. Waking up in the morning was difficult, as his muscles were even more stiff and sore that day, but even when Reborn smacked him in the head with some giant mallet, his happy mood carried over for a little while. A wondrous aroma flooded from the kitchen; a heavy wave of nostalgia hit Tsuna, and he wondered when the last time he had had breakfast made by his mother. Quickly, he dressed and pulled on his tie as he left his room. In the kitchen, Reborn was already seated, eating a delicious plate of food of Nana Sawada's creation. The brunet sat down to his own plate just as his mother came over with more food. "Good morning, Tsu-kun! Brings back memories huh? Breakfast! How long as it been since I got to cook breakfast?" she gushed, clutching her wooden spoon happily.

"Far, far too long," Tsuna agreed, not wasting any time digging in. His mother radiated happiness, and his mood only seemed to get better.

"You know, I wish your father was here too. That would be perfect," Nana sighed, only to suddenly realize the mistake of her words. Her son dropped his fork on his plate, but he quickly picked it back up, eating faster than before. The mother started to say something, but Reborn interrupted, "Mama makes delicious food. My cousin will be impressed with it when you start training today."

"Oh Reborn-chan, you're too kind!" Nana blushed, taking a bite of her food. She, however, gave a guilty sideways glance at her son, before murmuring, "Hmmm, it could use more spice..."

"I think it's perfect," Tsuna pushed back his chair, having finished his food. He looked up, giving a smile that did not reach his caramel depths. "Thank you, Mom." He turned to leave, but his mother gasped, "Wait, wait! I made you lunch! Here," she got up, rushing to the counter to pick up a wrapped lunchbox. "I filled it with your favorites. Have a nice day at school. You should get going." She pointed at the wall clock, and Tsuna's eyes doubled in size.

"HIIIIII! I-I'm going to be l-late!"

"Better hurry it up then," Reborn smiled, sipping his espresso.

Tsuna did not need to be told twice, and was out of the door in seconds. Off he ran to school, not wanting to be late again.

Nana watched him go, sipping her tea, mixed emotions swirling. "Tsuna seems happier nowadays," she commented out loud, "But I think I just ruined his mood again with my careless comment..." She sighed, wishing very much that Tsuna and his father would get along.

Reborn responded after a pregnant pause, "You seem happier too, Mama. I'm sure Tsuna will be as long as you are."

Blinking, Nana Sawada allowed her smile to blossom again, "You think so, Reborn-chan?" She stood up, bringing the dishes over to sink. "I better go too. Don't want to miss my first day of work! Reborn-chan," she grinned, "Thank you so much, again. I honestly can't repay you enough."

The baby hitman only smiled, sipping his espresso. "I think I'll go visit Tsuna at school later then."

Said brunet ran past the intersection that he met the Sasagawas at yesterday and kept going. However, at the next one, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Good morning, Juudaime!" Hayato Gokudera waved, sprinting to his beloved boss. Tsuna yelped in surprise, stopping momentarily. The silverette caught up, smiling, no shortness of breath or hair out of place. He let his school shirt hang open to reveal his wife beater again, and the numerous studded accessories and rings were in place again.

The brunet panted, "Go-good...m-morning...Gokudera-k-kun." He leaned down, trying to catch his breath. Gokudera blinked, slight concern in his eyes. "Are you ok, Ju-"

"School! L-late! We need to hurry!" Tsuna suddenly shot up, running again. His subordinate was quick at his heels, and the two tore down the streets to Namimori Middle School. The bell rang as they were almost at school and they entered school grounds just as the bell stopped chiming. As Tsuna made his way to entrance doors, a cold voice stopped him in his track, "Degenerates. Class is starting. What are you doing late?"

Blood running cold, the brunet turned his head to the source of the voice. There, lounging casually against the school railing overhead was Kyoya Hibari, clad in black, steel eyes narrowed in boredom. His mess of raven hair blew in the wind, along with his school blazer. The prefect had an unusual habit of wearing his blazer draped over his shoulders and somehow it never flew off; an arm band identifying him as a member of the disciplinary committee was pinned to one of the sleeves. Something metallic glinted in the sleeves of Hibari's coat, and Tsuna squealed, "I-I'm going t-"

"You asking for a death wish, threatening Juudaime like that?" Gokudera suddenly growled, sticking his hands in his pockets. Tsuna blanched, tugging on Hayato's arm. "G-Gokudera-kun! P-Please no fighting! Let's just go!"

Hibari was getting up from the railing, and Gokudera clicked his tongue in annoyance and allowed his boss to pull him into the building. The brunet's heart was pounding: Hibari was coming after him, Hibari was coming after him, Hibari was com-

His thoughts were interrupted when he smacked face first into his classroom door, rattling it tremendously. Sounds ceased from within the classroom, and the teacher pulled the door open, looking down at the fallen brunet with exasperated eyes. "Well this is new, Sawada. Get in your seat. You too, Gokudera."

After throwing a dirty look at his instructor, Gokudera marched past the teacher, helping Tsuna into the classroom. The class watched quietly in shock that the delinquent was helping Dame-Tsuna. The brunet blushed furiously, plopping into his seat quickly and sliding down. He knew people were staring at the new collection of bruises and cuts on his face as well, and tried his best to ignore the looks. He could already hear the whispers of his classmates, mocking and gossiping.

When break finally came, Tsuna was relieved. He slumped lower into his seat, sighing heavily. A gentle finger tapped his shoulder, and he looked up, blinking a soft blush onto his face. Kyoko, with her smiling face, greeted, "Good morning, Tsuna-kun! Are you ok today? You seemed to have gotten hurt again," She pouted slightly, and Tsuna was touched she noticed.

"G-Good morning to you too, Kyoko-chan!" He gingerly touched his face, "T-these are nothing! They'll heal soon e-enough."

"That's good to hear!" the auburnette smiled, not pushing further.[2] She clasped her hands together, smiling happily. "I see you and Gokudera are friends now! To be honest, I never saw Tsuna-kun with many people, so I'm glad you're hanging around more people now!" Kyoko giggled, making Tsuna blush again. The girl covered her mouth, "That sounded a bit silly didn't it?" She pulled a sheepish smile, "I'm just happy for you!"

"N-Not at all. Thanks, Kyoko-chan. R-really. I'm glad you and I are...are..."

"Friends too?"

Tsuna nodded mutely. The word was still hard for him to say. It seemed a bit adorable to the auburnette, who only smiled warmly again, and nodded, "Alrighty, well I need to talk to sensei. I'll see you later, Tsuna-kun!"

The brunet waved to his crush, not aware that Gokudera was watching him happily. As Kyoko passed by, his eyes blinked in surprise, but he went back to doodling on his notebook with a shrug. Hana Kurokawa watched Kyoko go, raising her eyebrows. What was she so happy about?

However, Tsuna could feel Mochida's gaze on his back and shivered. The kendo captain had not made any more remarks or moves against him, but Tsuna was still dreading his upcoming match with Mochida. It was just tomorrow, and he had no idea how he was going to handle it. Perhaps Reborn could help him by using that strange bullet. Tsuna's eyes lit up. If he was in his Dying Will, maybe he could beat Mochida! However, his pride would have to be sacrificed since his clothes always tear off. Reborn also insinuated that the bullet only worked if Tsuna held regrets within himself; could he guarantee that it would work? Rather him shamed and alive than shamed and dead, after all. At least, he thought so.

Tsuna turned around in his seat to get his bag and caught sight of a familiar face. Yamamoto was slumping with his back against his chair instead of his casual lounging or head down asleep. However, what surprised him the most was the white sling that was bound around Yamamoto's right arm. Tsuna jumped out of his seat, stumbling over to the baseball star. "Y-Yamamoto! Y-your ar-"

He stopped when the athlete's amber eyes darkened, and Tsuna's arms fell limp to his side. He tried to speak again, but something was so off about Yamamoto that he could not bring a single word to surface. The classroom went quiet. Some girls had approached the superstar earlier, but had gotten no words out of the guy. Everyone watched to see what the clumsy brunet would do.

After a pregnant pause, Yamamoto started to laugh. It was hollow and devoid of cheer, and Tsuna only flinched when his friend began to speak, "I went overboard with practice yesterday. Doc said I tore my rotator cuff on my right arm quite badly." [4]

Tsuna eyed the sling nervously, "How long?"

Another pause. "A couple months."

The brunet's heart sank. Guilt crushed him, as he was the one who spurred the baseball player to practice after school. "I'm really sorry, Yam-"

"Why?" Hardened amber eyes bore into melting caramel, and Tsuna knew that there were many meanings to that single questioning word. Mouth hanging open awkwardly, the brunet was forced back into his seat when the bell chimed, signaling the reconvening of class. Sheepishly, he shuffled back to his seat, feeling dull ambers following his back. Tsuna caught Gokudera's sympathetic glance, and noticed his emerald eyes harden as they looked at Yamamoto. However, they were not narrowed in anger or irritation, as usual, and Tsuna could not quite place his finger on the emotion in his eyes. It almost bordered on calculating.

Lunch came, and people cheered, eager to scamper off to eat. The silverette wasted no time in going to his boss, and brushed past Yamamoto, who left the classroom silently. Gokudera made a noise of irritation, grabbing a chair and pulling it up to Tsuna's desk. He studied his boss, who was still watching the doorway, caramel glazed over with worry.

"Juudaime?" the bomber waved slightly, getting his boss's attention.

Tsuna looked at his new friend and blinked. "S-Sorry, Gokudera-kun." He reached down to pick up his lunch box, and the silverette huffed, "Baseball freak, making the boss worry like this." Tsuna remained quiet, not sure how to respond to that. However, as Gokudera started talking about his bombs, the brunet found himself too horrified with the bomber's explanations to keep his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Yamamoto, and he quickly forgot about the baseball player.

Lunch passed quickly and soon, the bell chimed, and Tsuna sighed, dreading the after-lunch gym class. Gokudera did not share this class with him, and Yamamoto was out of commission, which left the brunet at the mercy of Mochida and his cronies. He shuffled to the gym and followed his usual routine of changing when everyone else left. He winced when he accidentally twisted his injured right wrist, and nursed it a moment before he went out to the gym.

Yamamoto was nowhere in sight, and Tsuna wondered where his friend was. Surely he would at least show up and sit at the sidelines? After the warm-ups and teams were picked for basketball again, Tsuna soon forgot about Yamamoto. Mochida seemed to aim specifically at him, and the brunet got used to dodging the speeding basketballs. He had let yet another ball get past his guard during the game when a classmate who had gone for water burst into the gym, screaming something incoherently. The coach blew the whistle, and the panicking youth repeated his words again.

"Yamamoto! He's about to jump off the school roof!"

A few girls who heard from their side of the gym screamed, and some of Yamamoto's friends yelped in surprise. The coach's whistle fell from his mouth, and he growled, "Sato, what kind of joke is this? It's no f-"

"It's not a joke!" the boy, Sato, screamed. "He's really going to jump! Everyone in the halls were freaking out, and I saw him at the edge o-"

He had not even finished his slur of words before Tsuna had run out of the gym, his tripping not stopping him from reaching the roof. No doubt, the brunet looked ridiculous as he tripped every so often, but he paid no mind to any of the stares or snickers.

/Yamamoto! So you were...arg, what was I thinking? Giving crap advice I can't even follow myself!/ the brunet cursed in his head. He burst onto the roof, out of breath, and saw a massive congregation of students already on the roof. He tried to see over their heads or squeeze through, but to no avail. Some kid actually shoved him back when Tsuna tried to get through. His wrist stung, and he tried to get through again.

Suddenly, a voice from behind growled, "Move the hell out of Juudaime's way."

The kid was shoved so hard he fell onto his back, and he yelped in pain. Hands shoved the crowd of people aside, parting a path for Tsuna to get through. He gave Gokudera the most grateful look he could muster and rushed forward, caramel eyes locking onto the lean figure of his baseball-loving friend immediately.

"Yamamoto!" he cried, coming to a halt to catch his breath. The roof was quiet once again as everyone watched Dame-Tsuna and Yamamoto. The latter turned around, balanced precariously over the edge of the roof. A thin metal fence separated him from the rest of the students.

"Tsuna." Yamamoto's eyes lit up momentarily before they dulled again. He looked out again, "I guess I wasn't good enough. I couldn't reach my own expectations. It's pitiful."

The brunet's mouth opened, but closed again. He struggled for words to say, but Yamamoto was speaking again, "So I figured maybe I'll just end it all. There's a good chance I may never play baseball again with this arm. What meaning is there to anything anymore?"

"W-What are you saying?" Tsuna finally squeaked, but elicited no reaction from Yamamoto. "H-How can you say t-"

"How?" Yamamoto stared at him dully, "You're honestly asking that?" An edge of biting was in his tone, and Tsuna recoiled from his words. "I thought you, of all people, would understand me the most. You, who everyone calls Dame-Tsuna, should understand just how it feels to always fail and not meet your own expectations."

Tsuna felt his heart plummet, and hurt caramel eyes looked into unfeeling amber ones. Yamamoto turned back around, "Isn't it better to just die?" The brunet flinched, clutching his wrinkled shirt as memories of the night before flooded back into his head. It terrified him now, what he had almost done. Death scared him now, as the aspect of having things to lose scared him even more.

"No!" he suddenly yelled, but Yamamoto still did not seem surprised. "Not at all! I don't think dying is better. Not in the least bit," he gritted his teeth. "What will you do about your friends? Your family? Your father? How can you not think about them?"

"I thought you said to work for yourself?" the athletic teen asked, piercing Tsuna with his gaze.

The brunet shook his head vehemently, "No! That's just selfish! You c-"

"Selfish?" Yamamoto's tone flared, and Tsuna reeled back at the sudden anger. "So you honestly think yourself better than me? Is that how it is?" Lividness glazed the amber orbs. "I was hoping you understood my situation. That's why I talked to you. But it seems you only mean to insult me."

Tsuna looked down dejectedly. So he was wrong about being friends with Yamamoto. Why had he been hoping so much to be accepted? He was just being used all this time. Tsuna had no idea it would hurt so much to actually realize the thoughts he had always suspected.

"You bastard! You would be lucky to have Juudaime as your friend!" Gokudera interjected, shocking Tsuna out of his dejection. Yamamoto still stared dully, but Tsuna noticed something in his eyes. Gokudera made his way towards Yamamoto with the intention of knocking some sense into him, pulling the feeble fence down easily with a raucous clatter. This surprised the crowd, but Yamamoto's next move shocked them more.

With one last glance at Tsuna, the baseball player placed one foot over the edge of the roof.

Tsuna had already moved, and in the split second Yamamoto had fallen forward, he managed to grab onto his left hand. The brunet fell forward as well, watching the edge of the floor disappear from underneath him. His other hand reach out blindly, and found a grip on the edge he had just gone over. Tsuna cried out in pain, as his right hand was clutching for Yamamoto's dear life and his left hand was clinging to the roof desperately. If not for the adrenaline, Tsuna would have been surprised that he managed to even grab a hold to the wall. The athlete was heavy because of his muscular and tall form, and it did not help the poor brunet that Yamamoto chose to hang limply without clutching Tsuna's hand.

Franticly, Gokudera grabbed his boss's hand and tried to hoist the two teens back up. Some classmates had clustered around Gokudera at this point, trying to help pull up their hanging classmates, but to no avail. Gokudera was pissed with the classmates, and tried to get them to back off while he continued to lift Tsuna with all his might.

Takeshi seemed surprised, but yelled, "Let go Tsuna!"

The brunet's heart pounded in his mouth, "N-No w-way! I-I would never!" His hand slipped, but he held on against the immense pain in his wrist, "G-Grab my hand, I-I can't hold you w-well like this!"

Amber eyes drifted to the brunet's shaking right hand, wrapped in bandages to keep it stable. "Tsuna, your han-"

"Y-You're honestly p-picking now to worry about that?" the brunet gasped, concentrating all his efforts on hanging onto Yamamoto's arm.

The athlete gaped slightly, blinking with wide eyes. Slowly, he snaked his fingers around Tsuna's wrist, grabbing on. Surprised, Tsuna looked down, a tired smile spreading on his mouth. "Yamam-"

A shot resounded through the air, and a neat bullet wound appeared on Tsuna's forehead, shooting out a small stream of blood. Yamamoto gasped, nearly letting go. He was about to cry out for his friend when Tsuna's hand became warmer, palpable energy swirling around the boy. A small flame sparked from the bullet wound, flaring out into a Dying Will flame. Tsuna's eyes opened, and a sharp fire burned in them. Blinking owlishly, Takeshi watched this transformation in awe. Clothes burst off of Tsuna's body and fluttered away in the wind.

Hidden behind some bushes, Reborn lowered his Leon rifle, smirking. "Could have been a cleaner shot. Looks like no one but Yamamoto noticed though." He tilted back his fedora with a smile, listening to the surprised yells of the school teens who saw a half-naked brunet. "Go for it, Tsuna."

Teeth gritted, Tsuna let out a roar, shocking the gathered masses. Gokudera'a eyes lit up, and he yelled, "Everyone get back! Juudaime is going to pull himself and the idiot back up!" Tsuna's hand tightened around Yamamoto's again, and the baseball-lover blinked at the unexpected strength behind the grip.

Confusion swept through the crowd.

"Juudaime? Does he mean Dame-Tsuna?"

"No way, like he could actually pull them up."

"Why Juudaime? What kind of name is that?"

Sucking in a breath, the near naked teen yelled, "GET BACK! I NEED ROOM TO CLIMB UP!"

Yells of surprise rocked the crowd, and some simply moved back out of surprise. It took another few minutes for the crowd to back off, mostly because they were too nervous about the current situation. Finally, Gokudera announced that enough people had moved back.

Tsuna growled, digging his toes into the concrete walls. He used a little push from his toes to help lift himself and Yamamoto back up to the roof. The classmates cried out in awe, most of them gawking at the flame on the brunet's forehead, eyes unbelieving. With a mighty heave, Tsuna crawled back up, easily dragging Yamamoto back up. The baseball star panted, kneeling once he was back on the safety of the roof.

All around, classmates were cheering, but no one dared to get too close to the strangely transformed brunet. No one cheered for Tsuna. Everyone cheered for Yamamoto's safety. The athlete looked up at his flaming savior, chuckling bitterly, "I see. You were better after all." The crowd fell silent at this, finally realizing who had saved Yamamoto. The surreal moment finally opened as reality to them, and stunned silence rocked the gathering.

The flame faded from the brunet's head and his caramel orbs returned, looking forlornly at his supposed friend. Cautiously, Tsuna opened his dry mouth, "I-I'm not saying...I'm better t-than you. At all. In reality, w-what I said yesterday...it was a lie."

A few gasps came from the crowd even if had no idea what was happening. Yamamoto's eyes widened for a second, and Tsuna saw clearly what he had noticed earlier: the desire to be proven wrong; Yamamoto had hoped just as much as Tsuna for the other to understand and befriend him.

Taking a deep breath, the brunet, nervously continued, "I never work for myself. Never. Not once. I can't draw up motivation or effort when it comes to helping myself." He looked down sheepishly at his bruised and battered body, ashamed that so many of his classmates saw him like this. Voice lowering to a whisper that only Yamamoto and Gokudera could hear, Tsuna mumbled, "I have no respect for myself, a-and I've almost killed myself several times because of it."

Caramel pools peered out at shocked amber and emerald orbs, "I can't cope. The one thing that has always kept me alive was my mother. She gave me a reason to live, for her sake. Now that I have friends, I can't bear to die and leave them behind. It's just too selfish of me." Tsuna flushed crimson, "It was only recently that I've come to realize that I would have far too many regrets if I were to die. If anyone is pitiful, I think it would be me." He looked Yamamoto right in the eye, "I probably don't understand one bit of how important baseball is to you. I've never had anything amazing like a sport or talent I can stake so much pride and love on. B-but," the brunet gave a wavering smile, "Friends and family. They're important too, right? I met your dad yesterday, and he was so happy to hear that your spirits were lifted. He must have been crushed when you hurt yourself. If you died, I think he would be devastated. I think, if nothing else," a timid, genuine smile formed on the brunet's lips, "Live for those who love you."

Gokudera's eyes were shining as he looked at Yamamoto, smirking, "I think you owe Juudaime an apology, baseball idiot."

"Hii! Gokudera-kun, why would you call him something like that?" Tsuna suddenly cried out. "And it's ok, Yamamoto! There's nothing to apologize for!" He waved his hands, but winced at the throbbing in his right wrist.

The baseball player knitted his eyebrows, looking down. "No, I definitely owe you an apology, Tsuna." He looked up, a small smile on his face. "Sorry. For all those rude things I said. And for trying to kill myself. What was I thinking, hah? I wasn't thinking how I'd affect good friends like you." The smile stretched, and a laugh burst forth from his mouth. A real laugh: the same laugh that pissed Gokudera off, drove girls crazy, and came so perfectly and naturally from Yamamoto. Tsuna started to laugh as well, and the relieved student body started to cheer and join in on the laughter.

"Did you see that? That was Dame-Tsuna who saved Yamamoto!"

"Kinda cool, wasn't it man?"

"Still can't believe my eyes, hah!"

Tsuna glanced up in surprise. They were not really insulting him…they sounded almost like compliments. All around, the students were laughing and cheering, and some girls finally broke through to Yamamoto, some crying their eyes out. Gokudera grimaced at those, reaching down to help his boss up instead. Tsuna thanked him quietly, embarrassed that he was standing in his underwear. Kyoko appeared from the crowd, running towards Tsuna.

"Wow! Tsuna-kun! That was amazing!" she gasped, helping him up as well. The brunet blushed, accepting her hand to stand up. The auburnette giggled, "So, why did you take off your clothes?" She tried her best not to look or laugh at the cartoon boxers Tsuna had. The boy immediately vowed to burn every last pair of his boxers and buy plainer ones once he got home.

"CLEARLY, SAWADA IS TOO EXTREME TO WEAR CLOTHES! HIS CLOTHES COULD NOT HANDLE HIM, TO THE EXTREME!" Ryohei roared, appearing next to his sister.

"And another stupid one appears," Hayato snarled, glaring down the older teen.

Ryohei must not have heard, for he continued, "Sawada! Join my boxi-"

"Ok-ay, Onii-chan! That's more than enough," Kyoko sighed, touching her brother's arm to calm him. "We should get back indoors before Tsuna catches a cold without his clothes on." She gave a slightly teasing smile, and the brunet flushed red again.

The school principal suddenly showed up with panicked students. His eyes swept the scene and he saw the suicidal student in question safe and sound. "Takeshi Yamamoto!" the principal called out, running over. "Are you alright? Did you really-?"

Takeshi nodded sheepishly, laughing cheerfully, "Yeah, but it's all ok now! I have good friends who convinced me I was being stupid." He smiled at Tsuna, and the boy returned the smile wholeheartedly.

The principal frowned, "That's all good and well, but I'm afraid you will still have to go to the hospital. There are paramedics downstairs waiting. We can't be sure you won't suddenly have another incident like this."

"But Yamamoto is ok now!" Tsuna insisted, surprising the student body. "I know he is! He ju-"

"I'm sorry, Sawada-kun, but it's procedu-"

"It's alright, Principal. I deem Takeshi Yamamoto just fine," came a squeaky voice. Tsuna blanched, eyes shooting to the floor near the door. A tiny person in a scholarly robe was walking forward to the gawking principal.

"Professor Boreen! Oh my go…what a distinguished honor this is!" he spluttered, immediately bowing. The students broke out in excited whispers. Apparently this Professor Boreen was famous.

/Is he serious?/ Tsuna deadpanned, staring at Reborn's obvious disguise. The baby smiled, waving his hand. "I was simply in the neighborhood and heard a huge commotion, so I came over. Psychologists like me are always intrigued by such events. I hope I am not intruding." [5]

"N-No not at all!" the principal laughed, "Please do enjoy your time here. I can take you on a tour later, if you please. But may I inquire as to how you know about Yamamoto-kun's condition?"

"I'm a doctor of psychology. Of course I would know," Boreen smiled, and the principal nodded, "My apologies, of course!" The baby nodded in return, turning to the teenagers. "Perhaps you should head inside and get some rest. Emotionally taxing events like this can cause stress. I think the rest of the day off for those three would be ideal," Boreen gestured to Tsuna, Yamamoto and Gokudera. Tsuna was still blanching from Reborn's ridiculous ploy, but was quite excited to leave school early, so he said nothing. He really hoped Reborn would not punish him for thinking such thoughts later.

"If an expert like you says so, I must agree!" the principal laughed, turning to the boys. "Please escort Yamamoto-kun home first. Oh and Sawada-kun…" The principal furrowed his eyebrows, "What happened to your clothes?"

Tsuna opened his mouth to respond, but Ryohei beat him to it again, "HE'S TOO EXTREME FOR HIS CLOTHES!"

The brunet blinked, and then sighed. The principal gave him a strange look, coughing, "That's all good and well, but please refrain from…stripping on school grounds. I will let it slide this time. I rather loved that superhero as a child," he pointed to Tsuna's boxers, and the brunet's cheeks burst bright red. The students around laughed, but the mocking edge was gone and replaced with lighthearted tones. The loudest of all was Yamamoto, who seemed to almost glow.

/Definitely burning these when I get home./ Tsuna sighed heavily, allowing Gokudera to tug him away from the roof. The silverette took one last glance at Boreen before whispering, "Is that-?"

Tsuna nodded, sighing again.

Yamamoto followed, humming to himself. Once they were alone, Yamamoto laughed, "Thanks again, Tsuna!"

"W-What for?" he stammered, clutching his hair. "I made an absolute fool of myself! A-all those weak things I said, a-and letting everyone see me in my boxers-!"

"Weak? I didn't think it was weak at all," Yamamoto commented. "I know you said you don't have any talents, but I think you have a way with words. They change the way others think."

Tsuna blinked in surprise, and Gokudera added, "Of course! Juudaime is a wise man. I expect nothing less from him!"

"You know," Yamamoto stretched as he walked, "I actually wonder why you have been calling him Juudaime. That's a bit of a funny nickname, haha!"

"That's because Tsuna is the future boss of the Vongola mafia family." Reborn sudden leapt in front of the trio, dressed in his normal suit again. Tsuna screamed, earning him a smack from the baby.

"Reborn! Why did you pretend to be a professor just now?" the brunet demanded, flinching at the baby's look.

The hitman smirked, "Would you have rather let them drag Yamamoto to the hospital for days while they monitor him for additional suicidal impulses?" [6] Tsuna flinched, shaking his head.

"Oh, haha! You were that professor? You're really good at pretending, kid!" Yamamoto bowed playfully, laughing. "Thanks!"

"Say," Reborn held his Leon gun at his side casually, looking up at the tall athlete, "Would you like to join Tsuna's family? Hayato is his only subordinate at the moment. He needs more members."

Blanching, Tsuna tried to stop Reborn, but only earned another smack in the face. As Gokudera helped his boss, Yamamoto blinked in surprise, "A mafia game?" He stood straight, laughing, "Sounds interesting! Sure, I'll join!" He flashed Tsuna a bright grin.

"Yamamoto!" Tsuna cried out in alarm, seeing the damage was done. "You can't do that! It's too dangerous!"

The baseball star waved him off, "Maa maa, it will be fine!" When the brunet did not relent, Takeshi slung his uninjured arm over his friend's shoulder, "Come on Tsuna! You saved my life. I at least owe you mine." With a grin, he chirped, "I pledge my life to you, Tsunayoshi Sawada!"

"Do you have ANY idea what you are saying?" Tsuna squeaked, "Why can't we just be friends?"

Hayato smirked, nodding in approval. "You better not mess up, baseball-idiot! I won't let anyone hurt or hinder Juudaime! And get your hands off of him!" His eyebrows furrowed at the last statement, and Takeshi laughed, "Alright, alright!" He let go of the pale brunet.

/Th-They're not even listening to me, are they?/ Tsuna deadpanned, walking ahead with his two subordinates. Reborn smiled, lingering in the back. He turned back around momentarily, onyx eyes scanning the top of the staircase. Smirking, he started to follow the trio again, ignoring the pair of dark eyes that were glaring venomously at the brunet.

/I will need to prepare Tsuna for tomorrow's fight as well. His opponent is just itching for blood/ the infant thought cheerfully to himself.

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><p><strong>So there's Yamamoto's chapter! Hrrngh, I love my angst too much. I certainly hope I'm not turning off readers like this! (I've been informed that the first few chapters were unappealing to some because of the OOCness.) Next one will be the fight with Mochida, as well as touching more on Tsuna's future guardians! I'm hoping to develop the 8059 a bit next chapter. ;D I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! <strong>

**[1] I saw Takesushi somewhere before. I think it was another fan fiction, but I don't remember which one. **

**[2] Yamamoto is like a younger, prettier Tsuyoshi to me. Haha. **

**[3] Now I'm just making up more terms. I think "auburnette" has a lovely ring to it though, don't you think? Better than just calling Kyoko another "brunet" or "red-head."**

**[4] Sporty people would know just how much rotator cuff injuries suck. -shivers- The rotator cuff is a set of muscles in your shoulder that helps it move and keeps the shoulder joint stable. Tearing those muscles can take months to heal and rehabilitate. The healing process sucks because you have to be careful not to strain it to allow faster healing, which is insanely hard; you really don't realize just how much you use your shoulder until you lose it. I don't know how bad the tear could be from swinging a bat, but sometimes pitchers in baseball have career ending rotator cuff injuries. They're really common injuries; just how bad it is depends on how hard the person exerts those muscles. But if it's Yamamoto, I wouldn't put it past him to swing hard enough to damage his shoulder muscles. **

**[5] I know Professor Boreen is Reborn's math professor disguise, but I liked the idea of a psychologist better. **

**[6] I'm not sure what happens in Japan, but here in America, if someone attempts suicide, they will be sent to the hospital regardless of whether his/her condition is bad or not. He/she is placed under 24-hour absolute surveillance to monitor for any other attempts at suicide. After that, he/she gets some privacy back, but is still watched for a few days, and usually sent to some kind of therapy. Good thing Boreen stepped in for Yamamoto, hm? **

**Hopefully the next update will be faster! Thanks for reading!**

**~Alexie**


	5. Not a Prize

**Hi-ho! Since I have this chapter ready planned as well, I figured I might as well type it out. I'm still working out the details of the other ones. Heh. **

**You'll see my poor attempts at humor in this chapter. Ugh, I sound funnier when I talk than when I write. **

**Also, I editted it a little after my submissions last night. There were a number of little errors here and there since I was rushing to submit. Oopsies.**

****I decided to start replying to reviews at the end of my chapters. Look for your name and my reply to you if I didn't already talk to you through private messaging. ^^ Or I might mention you again, just to be fair.  
><strong>**

**Thank you to all your reviews! Gah, I can't tell you how inspiring it is when I get reviews from my readers, or even Story Alerts and Favorites. *U* I get some good ideas from people too. Please continue reviewing, if you please! C:  
><strong>

**Last Chapter: Hayato Gokudera's attitude towards Tsuna had completely changed, very much surprising the brunet. Nana Sawada was offered an amazing new job, and as celebration, Reborn offered to take Sawadas and Gokudera out to dinner. The hitman chose to dine at Takeshi Yamamoto's family sushi bar, where Yamamoto's grateful father offered a free dinner to their group as thanks to Tsuna for cheering up his son. Because Yamamoto was practicing at school, he was not present at the shop. However, the next day, the baseball star came to school, defeated and somber, with his arm in a sling due to a shoulder injury. When he tried to jump off the roof, claiming he had lost meaning to his life, Tsuna immediately went to confront his friend. After Tsuna and Gokudera saved Takeshi from falling to his death, the brunet amended his advice from the previous day, sparking a new admiration in Yamamoto. Tsuna's stunning rescue earned him nascent respect from his classmates as well, even though he was embarrassingly half-naked. Reborn, disguised as a renowned psychologist, convinced the principal to let the trio of teens go home early. As they leave, a dark pair of eyes watched them go, anticipating his fight with the brunet.**

**After all, everyone seemed to be thirsting for Tsuna's blood lately. **

**Warnings: Mild violence **

**Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. I'd be thrilled to just draw for Amano Akira. ;u; **

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><p><em>Chapter 5: Not a Prize <em>

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><p>Click. Click. Click!<p>

Tsuna yanked open his locker after the final number on the combination lock snapped into place. Good thing he was in his gym clothes this time around; he grabbed his last, wrinkled, spare uniform and knew he really could not afford to lose another set. Making a mental note to purchase more from the school, or find a way to mend the pieces of his torn ones, he slipped his clothes on, careful not to agitate his wrist. After saving Takeshi, the brunet's wrist only seemed to hurt more than before, no doubt from straining it with the weight of Yamamoto's hanging body.

He shuffled out of the locker room to meet his patiently waiting friends outside. Two pairs of eyes lit up when they saw Tsuna, and the brunet could not help but smile.

"S-So, should we get going to Yamamoto's?"

Takeshi nodded, leading the way. He was quiet for a moment, before solemnly saying, "I wonder if the school had called my father."

Flinching, the brunet babbled, "I-I'm sure, no matter what, h-he's happy you're safe."

With a laugh, Yamamoto chirped, "Hmm, guess you're right, haha! I guess I'll have to apologize to pops later too." Gokudera snorted, crossing his arms in irritation. He was not too pleased with Yamamoto's initiation into the family but could not argue against the professional hitman, Reborn's, own suggestions. The silverette's respect for the infant rivaled that of his for Tsunayoshi, so he kept his comments to himself. It was really hard though.

Really hard.

"I-If you don't mind me asking," Tsuna muttered shyly, catching Yamamoto's, "Where's your mom? I-I didn't see her at the sushi shop yesterday…oh!" A thought suddenly occurred to him, and Tsuna sheepishly looked away, "I'm really sorry! I-If you don't want to answer, i-"

Yamamoto closed his eyes and smiled forlornly. "She died when I was a kid. The details," his smiled faded, "Aren't important. It's just me and my pops now."

O-oh man, why did he even ask such a thing? Guiltily, the brunet mumbled a few words of apology, face red with embarrassment. He could not imagine life without his mother. Iemitsu Sawada was god-knows-where, apparently "managing an oil company." For such a profitable business, the man was certainly not sending very much child support at all; checks came occasionally, and although they were usually high payments of money, it was never really enough to support the family for the long periods of time between each check. In addition to that, there was no way to contact him. Brilliant father he was.

The silverette's emerald eyes widened in surprise. This was unexpected from the baseball star. It was...just like himself. Gokudera fought back a wave of nostalgia with a breathed "tch," jamming his hands into his pockets. Glances stolen at the baseball star went unnoticed as he trudged down the street.

"What about you Tsuna? You must love your mom a lot, with the way you talk about her, haha!" Takeshi grinned. The brunet nodded meekly, smiling softly. He really did love his mother. She was all he had.

"What about your dad?" Yamamoto asked innocently.

Tsuna stopped short in his steps, eyes clouding over. Takeshi's smile faded again, seeing that his words had a poor effect on his friend.

Talking about parents seemed like a taboo subject for everyone.

Hayato gritted his teeth, hissing, "Idiot," under his breath, then placed a hand on his boss's shoulder. He did not know anything about the brunet's father, but decided not to press on with it. Cheering up the brunet was his first priority.

"Juudaime, here," Gokudera removed one of his wristbands, "Put this around your wrist. It's really tight, so should help support it a little."

Breaking out of his trance, the brunet blinked, taking the band in surprise. "You didn't n-need to…"

"It was my fault yesterday that you hurt your wrist, wasn't it?" Hayato huffed, emerald eyes piercing. Takeshi's smile returned, and he said, "You can dress your wrist at my house. I have a lot of clean bandages. Sport injuries and all." Yamamoto winked, sounding oddly cheerful at this. He exchanged glances with the silverette, who furrowed his eyebrows and looked away.

"T-Thanks guys," Tsuna cracked a small smile. Carefully, he tugged the tight band around his wrist, flinching at the constricting fit. How could Gokudera even have blood circulation with this thing on? It certainly felt better than letting his wrist flop around everywhere, however. At that moment, the trio turned a corner, and Yamamoto announced, "Home sweet home, haha!"

A "Closed" sign hung up on the door, and the baseball star frowned. "Pops opened the store this morning…at least I think he did." He turned the lock to open the door, but paused, feeling uncharacteristically nervous.

To the questioning looks of his two companions, Takeshi could only smile uneasily. "Ah...looks like I'm afraid to face my own dad." His hand lingered on the door, unable to push it open. While Tsuna shifted uncomfortably between his feet, Hayato had other ideas.

"Man up, baseball idiot," Gokudera gruffed, opening the door carelessly. The inside of the shop was dark, and a single lone figure sat at the sushi bar. Uncomfortable silence swallowed the air, and Yamamoto laughed curtly. "I'm home!"

Tsuyoshi turned around on his stool, looking at his son with stern eyes. Takeshi flinched, smiling nervously. "Ah, hey Pops." He walked over, rubbing his neck, "I assumed you h-"

"The school called me about half an hour ago. No customers were around, so I closed the shop immediately." Yamamoto closed his mouth when his father spoke, and only stared. "Do you have any idea," Tsuyoshi's eyes narrowed, "How worried you made me?" His son dropped his shoulders.

Takeshi narrowed his guilt-filled eyes, no words coming from his mouth. His father got up from his seat, walking over to his son. Tsuyoshi stood a few inches taller than Yamamoto, scrutinizing the boy. After a pregnant pause, Yamamoto finally mumbled, "Pops, I'm really sor-whoa!"

Almost immediately, Tsuyoshi engulfed his son in a strong embrace, startling everyone in the room. Tsuna squeaked, face blushing slightly from the warm display. Narrowing his eyes, Gokudera looked away. Yamamoto was at a loss for words, patting his father's shaking form. "Pops?"

"I knew you were having problems. I always figured you could handle it yourself. You are strong, like your old man, so I thought…" His voice cracked slightly, and he breathed, "I couldn't save your mother. I thought I had failed you too." The confession startled Takeshi greatly. Young amber eyes softened, for Yamamoto finally realized the weight of what he almost did.

"Pops, you give me far too much credit," Yamamoto chuckled softly, returning the hug with his good arm. "I'm really sorry. But," he laughed, "I promise. You will never have to deal with anything like this again." He pulled away, looking up at his father's eyes. "I swear on the precious life my friend had given back to me."

Tsuna jumped at this comment, feeling his face heat up again. Tsuyoshi looked up, eyes glistening slightly, finally noticing the brunet. "Tsunayoshi?" Yamamoto nodded, beaming with pride.

"G-Good day, Yamamoto-san!" the brunet squeaked, quickly bowing. Gokudera hung back, nodding his head slightly in acknowledgment. The sushi chef's eyes softened, and he pulled his son back over to his friend, ignoring any noises of surprise. With a swift movement, he pulled the shocked brunet into a hug, muttering. "Thank you. So much. Thank you for my son."

He was so warm. It could have fooled Tsuna into thinking he was being hugged by a father who cared for him. Stammering, Tsuna replied, "I-It was n-nothing. I-I was ju-"

"Tsuna, you were practically my lifeline. I would have fallen if you hadn't caught me. Don't be so modest," Yamamoto chirped, hugging the brunet too. Tsuna squealed, being engulfed by the crushing hugs of the Yamamoto men. Gokudera made an expression of pure disgust.

Takeshi was the first to let go, as he had to add, "We can't forget Gokudera! He helped Tsuna pull me back up, after all." Oh hell no.

Tsuyoshi looked like he wanted to add the bomber to the group hug, but the silverette quickly coughed, "If it's all the same to you, Yamamoto-san, I would rather not be hugged."

Blinking, the chef burst out laughing, and slapped Gokudera on the back instead. "Very well. Then I thank you as well, my boy!" The silverette smiled slightly. Usually, he disliked adults, or anyone older in general, but there was something very strong and spirited about Tsuyoshi that he liked. The chef let go of Tsuna, patting the flustered boy on the back as well, "You and Gokudera-kun are welcome at my bar for free sushi anytime! It's the least I can do."

"We can't p-possibly accept something like that!" Tsuna blinked owlishly. With a shake of the head, the chef laughed, "No no, Tsunayoshi-kun. I insist. You and your family are welcome anytime. You too, Gokudera-kun."

"I thank you then, Yamamoto-san," the silverette answered curtly, not about to turn down free food. Eating nothing but instant food with stolen money really sucked, after all. Tsuna nodded nervously, and Tsuyoshi immediately headed to his counter, "So can I get you boys anything?" The brunet shook his head; all the terror from before had made him lose his appetite, and he just wanted to go home and lay down.

"You sure?" Tsuyoshi searched the brunet with aged amber eyes, and said boy nodded, suddenly feeling rather tired. Finally, the man laughed, waving, "Go get some rest. Takeshi, you should take your friend home."

"Yep yep. Thanks Pops!" This time, Takeshi hugged his father, mumbling inaudible words into his ear. When he let go, a stunning smile spread across the old man's lips, and Tsuna felt a tinge of jealousy for their relationship. He bowed once more with his goodbyes before turning to leave uncertainly with his two escorts.

The trio walked in silence through the bustling streets of Namimori. Yamamoto did not live in the suburbs with the majority of his classmates, since the sushi shop was located in the heart of the busy downtown. Passing by a department store, Tsuna had an sudden idea. It was absurd; he certainly could not ask his mother this favor, and walking around alone just about called for more bullies to harrass him. The group he tamed was but one gang that bothered him. He stopped, peering into the store with a blush.

"Juudaime, something the matter?" the bomber stopped, pulling out a cigarette and looking around. With disapproving eyes, Yamamoto pointed to the cigarette, "You shouldn't smoke," he smiled, "It's bad for your health. You know what they stick in there, right?"

Gokudera stared at Yamamoto, puffing, "Mind your own business, baseball idiot."

"Guys, guys!" Tsuna held his hands up, nervous about an impending argument. "I just want to go in and buy some things...that's all."

Takeshi's eyes lit up in surprise. "Like what?"

Oh boy. Tsuna mumbled something, flushing red. Neither companion heard their soft-spoken friend, and the brunet repeated his words. When they did not hear him a second time, Tsuna resigned, "I-It's ok! I-I'll just go m-myself! I-I'll see you guys t-tomorrow!" He bowed his head quickly and ran into the shop, thoroughly embarrassed.

Hayato and Takeshi stared after their flustered friend, exchanging glances. The bomber rolled his eyes, threw his cigarette away, and ran in after his boss as the baseball star followed happily.

Clothes fell to the floor as Tsuna passed through the aisles. He gazed at the signs, trying to discreetly find the section he needed. However, his clumsiness was defeating his intentions quite successfully. He honestly hoped that he would not run into any classmates at the store, or worse, have them see what he was doing there.

Finally, he found the right place, fidgeting uncomfortably. Oh man, he was in public, he was in public, shopping for-

"Look dude, I told you he was heading to the underwear section!"

"Bahahaha, oh my god, Dame-Tsuna is a pervert too?"

"Always knew he was gay."

The brunet screamed and spun around, coming face to face with some less-than-friendly classmates of his. No doubt they were playing hooky, using the chaos from Yamamoto's episode to leave unnoticed. Gokudera and Yamamoto were nowhere to be seen. Petrified, Tsuna just stood there while the sneering kids approached him.

"I heard you stripped naked on the roof today, Dame-Tsuna!" one boy laughed, and Tsuna felt himself shrink. Another boy chortled, "He totally did. Best part was when the principal commented on his underwear." The third teen howled with laughter. Tsuna opened his mouth to retaliate to the harmless teasing, but he could not even do that. His words to Yamamoto earlier came back. /I really can't do a thing for myself, can I?/

Suddenly, a flying punch hit one of the boys in the face, and he crashed into his friend. A steaming Hayato Gokudera stood over them, hissing, "I dare you to make fun of Juudaime again, you bastards."

"Tsuna saved my life today. I won't let him be insulted for that." Yamamoto walked over, serious in expression. The two teens stood before the brunet, shielding him. The bullies blanched, weighing their options before walking swiftly away. Owlish caramel eyes gazed up at the two saviors. Tsuna squeaked when strong hands grasped his shoulders. "Juudaime! Why didn't you just tell us you wanted to buy new underwear?"

"Haha, I think it's kinda cute!" Yamamoto chirped, and Tsuna's face exploded in bright red.

W-what were they...practically announcing to the world?

"Y-You g-guys! N-not so loud!"

Yamamoto laughed loudly, earning him a seething glare from Gokudera, who griped, "Don't laugh at Juudaime! You just said you weren't going to insult him, you bastard!"

"Maa maa, I wasn't laughing at him," Takeshi grinned, slinging his uninjured arm over Tsuna's shoulder. "So why underwear?" Gokudera narrowed his eyes, seeing as Yamamoto had blown off their argument, just like that.

Blushing, the brunet fidgeted with the corner of his shirt, "I-I think the boxers I w-wear now are r-really embarrassing. Especially since I-I...um..." How did he explain a psychotic hitman baby shoots magical bullets into him that make clothes explode off of him? The superpowers seemed almost normal compared to that.

Strike that. There was nothing normal about any of it.

"Understood Juudaime! I will find you the most stylish pair of boxers in this store!" Gokudera saluted. Yamamoto laughed, "Sounds fun! I'll join in!"

Tsuna was so confused. Since when was boxers shopping fun and necessitated two helpers? "J-Just simple, plain ones wil-"

A pair of boxers waved in his face, and Tsuna squeaked, covering his face. He heard the silverette cheerfully exclaim, "These are perfect, Juudaime!"

The brunet studied the pattern, blanching. Strange, large-headed green creatures covered the fabric, staring at Tsuna with deep black eyes.

"These...are aliens."

Gokudera nodded enthusiastically, and Tsuna was honestly surprised. He did not peg the silverette as a fan of the sci-fi genre. When his boss did not respond, Hayato frowned, "You don't like them?"

Quickly, Tsuna responded, "No no! It's just...I want something simpler...like plaid, o-or-"

"Baseballs, haha!" Yamamoto proudly held up a pair of blue and white boxers with large baseballs printed all over them. After a moment, his face turned thoughtful. "On second though, I think I'll get a pair for myself, haha!"

"You idiot! We're shopping for Juudaime, not you!"

Tsuna watched the exchange in stunned silence, but suddenly smiled. He started to laugh, and his two companions stopped to look at him. Suddenly, all three were smiling or laughing, as if they had been friends for years.

Awkward, yes. Strange, perhaps. But Tsuna loved the feeling at that moment.

After Tsuna finally picked a set of several simple, solid colored boxers, the trio headed to the Sawada residence. Yamamoto insisted that he get a light blue pair with a tuna fish sewn in the bottom corner. Though he would not admit it, Tsuna actually liked that pair a lot.

It was still early in the day, so Tsuna's mother was still at work. Well, her new job training, anyways. Her son had no clue what time she would return. The brunet breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be home, only to be shocked when Reborn flew through the doorway, kicking him squarely on the face.

Dear god, that really hurt. "Reborn!" Tsuna whined, cupping his tender face with both hands. As usual, Yamamoto was laughing while Gokudera smacked him.

"Hello to you too, Dame-Tsuna." A flinch. "You didn't think getting out of school early meant you had a break, did you?" Onyx eyes flashed dangerously.

Holding his hands up anxiously, Tsuna shook his head. "No, no! I just went to do a quick erra-"

"I don't need your excuses," Reborn smirked, "What I do need is for you to catch up on your schoolwork. We still have English, Japanese, and geography. You'll need to learn some Italian too, if you are going to become the 10th generation boss." The horrified expression on his student's face only made the hitman's smirk widen.

"Wow, haha," Yamamoto blinked with a nervous smile, "Harsh. I thought he was your little brother?"

"I-I never said that. He's...well..." Tsuna stared at the baby, still not sure what his title exactly was. Luckily, Reborn decided not to torture him for the lack of an answer.

"Ciaossu. I'm Reborn, the world's greatest hitman and Dame-Tsuna's home tutor. Would you like to have some remedial lessons as well? They're free of charge." Reborn smiled, a scary glint in his eyes.

Laughing, Takeshi replied, "I'm fine for now. Thanks for the offer though, haha! Tsuna, we can stay around while you study, if you'd like."

"Baseball freak, don't lump me in with your plans. But of course I'll stay with Juudaime!" Hayato declared, but Reborn silenced them.

"If you aren't here to study, you'll have to go home. Dame-Tsuna needs to learn to be independent. You may be his subordinates, but you can't hold his hand forever." Reborn headed towards the stairs, turning to Tsuna expectantly. The brunet dejectedly followed, turning back to his friends.

"See you guys tomorrow. Thanks...for earlier," he smiled slightly. To that, Yamamoto replied, "Anytime! I should be the one thanking you. Don't think I'd ever thank you enough in a lifetime!"

"Juudaime, please rest easy for tomorrow! I will be cheering you on!" Gokudera grinned, and Tsuna was struck by the notion that he had forgotten something.

"Oh yeah, Mochida-senpai arranged their fight to be after school tomorrow, haha!"

Woah, hold on. Back up. "HIIII? I completely forgot!" Tsuna panicked, clutching his hair. He was so wrapped up with dealing with Gokudera and Yamamoto that he had completely forgotten about the kendo captain's challenge.

/We're to fight for Kyoko./ The brunet recalled Mochida's exact words. What did he mean, fight for Kyoko? Winner gets the girl? H-How could he insult Kyoko like that, like she's j-just an item?

Reborn smiled, looking up at Tsuna. "Looks like I'll ram a little training into you too. Now get up to your room. You're wasting time, Dame-Tsuna."

With a heavy sigh, the brunet waved goodbye to his friends again before trudging up the stairs. How he really wished that Reborn would stop using that name.

In his room, he got out his English workbook, opening it dully. It might as well have been Welsh written on that page, for the teen barely understood any of the language aside from typical greetings, and a couple useful phrases like "Where is the bathroom?" So when Reborn asked him to translate a sentence, he ended up butchering it so badly that the hitman felt obligated to kick his student in the face.

Tsuna just could not get his mind into work. He stood up, starting to pace restlessly around the room, much to Reborn's disapproval. Onyx eyes following the brunet before the baby spoke, "Dame-Tsuna, what are you doing in the middle of the lesson? Sit down."

"I-I can't fight Mochida tomorrow! But I have to! K-Kyoko-chan is at stake! I-I..." the brunet paused, not able to put into words his thoughts. "I-It seems wrong. We shouldn't fight over her. I-I don't want to fight in the first place!" He looked to Reborn for guidance, and the baby smirked.

"You weren't this restless before your fight with Gokudera."

Tsuna knew that Reborn knew his exact condition the night before his fight with Gokudera. Now that his mind was lucid, the situation seemed a lot more serious than be thought. "W-wouldn't the whole school see this fight? There's n-no way Mochida hasn't bragged to everyone yet."

"Probably. But you can handle him. Now sit down. Focus on work and worry about the fight later, if you even need to worry about it."

Tsuna whined, "O-of course I need to worry! He's going to d-destroy me! An-"

"You said the same thing of Gokudera. I'm fairly certain Mochida does not have deadly explosives on him."

The tutor had grown impatient with his student's babbling. He stood up, walked over to the brunet, and delivered a sharp kick to the back of his thigh. The brunet yelped, immediately collapsing on that leg. When the leg went numb and flimsy, he squeaked, "W-What did y-you do to m-me?" He could not get back up, his leg collapsing on him each time.

"Disabled your leg. Now work." Reborn pointed at the English notebook, but Tsuna was still worried about his apparently limp leg. Reborn grimaced, "It will be fine by the time you finish this work. Continue on then."

Finally, the brunet calmed down enough to start working again, although he received numerous kicks and hits from the baby for each mistake he made. Which happened a lot. Which meant his face was probably purple by now. He gingerly fingered his black eye, hoping it was healing. Luckily for him, the damage was light and it should be healing nicely. Hopefully.

Nana returned home later, bringing food she cooked during her training with her. Tsuna was starving by then, practically inhaling her creations. It was delicious as usual, of course. Nana watched in delight as her son ate, but noticed his tired face again. "Are you ok, Tsu-kun?"

"Eh?" the brunet looked up from his food, swallowing quickly. "Y-yeah. I am. R-Reborn," his eyes flickered to the sadistic tutor, "worked me like nuts today, so I'm really tired." Really, really tired.

Eyes sparkling, Nana turned to Reborn, "How is my Tsu-kun doing with his studies?" Tsuna really could not believe his mother took Reborn so seriously. Maybe she did not actually believed he was truly a tutor. Maybe she just wanted to return the favor for getting her a new job. Maybe it was because she liked kids.

Reborn took a sip of his espresso before answering. "Better. English seems to give him trouble, so I would like to spend more time on that tomorrow. Tsuna will speak English fluently by the time I'm through with him," the baby smiled, shocking Tsuna with his professional speech. He heard the hidden implications, however, and shivered. Through with him. That just did not sit well in his stomach.

So the brunet went to bed, exhausted in both mind and body, knowing he was in for another taxing day tomorrow. Groggily he arose the next morning, dragging himself around his room to get ready. Peering into the mirror, the brunet was pleased to see the black eye was fading, the coloration turning into the tell-tale green of a healing bruise. The wounds were scabbing, some looking ready to fall off to reveal new skin. He had not looked so good in...weeks? Months? Years? Tsuna allowed himself an optimistic smile, despite a nagging thought that his face may become disfigured after today's match.

"If you're done checking yourself out in the mirror, Dame-Tsuna, you may want to check the clock."

A glance at the bathroom's digital clock made the brunet's heart skip a beat.

"HIIIIIIIII?"

After grabbing his lunch from the counter, Tsuna dashed straight through the door, desperately sprinting to school. As he approached the intersection, he saw two people standing idly, one with blazing silver locks and the other with a mop of raven hair. Irritation was plastered all over the silverette's face, and even from the distance, Tsuna could hear Gokudera's yelling.

"Call Juudaime something more respectful, you baseball idiot! How can you just keep saying his first name so nonchalantly?"

Yamamoto laughed, replying something that Tsuna could not hear. It seemed to set off the bomber again, but the baseball star caught sight of Tsuna, waving with his left arm. "Morning, Tsuna!"

"You bastard!" Gokudera hissed, calling out, "Very good morning to you, Juudaime!"

Tsuna slowed down a bit, huffing, "Gonna...be...late...go, go, GO!"

Hayato responded enthusiastically, running after his boss as Yamamoto followed, laughing cheerfully. The trio reached school grounds with time to spare, and Tsuna slowed to a crawl in the halls, panting heavily. How were Gokudera and Yamamoto fine after sprinting like that? Goodness!

"Haha, wow Tsuna! Never knew you could run that fast. See, you do have strengths!" Takeshi grinned, patting the exhausted brunet on the head.

"You idiot! Juudaime has more talent and strength in his finger than you have in your whole body!" Hayato fumed, punching the taller teen on the uninjured arm.

"That makes no sense, haha."

Before Gokudera could sock Yamamoto again, Tsuna cut in, "S-so...w-why were you two waiting a-at that crossroad?"

Hayato blinked, innocent surprise crossing his face. "For you, of course."

"Eh? For me?" Tsuna was genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, why not?" Amber eyes twinkled as Yamamoto spoke.

Lost for words, the brunet allowed his companions to lead him to their classroom. The bell rang the moment Tsuna plopped into his seat, and he sighed in relief, still trying to catch his breath. The teacher had not arrived yet, so everyone was still chatting with their friends. He heard a few whispers with his name, but brushed them off. He was sick of hearing about whatever rumors were circulating around about him, and decided to tune them out. When had he stopped caring? Pondering it for a moment, the brunet realized...maybe it was because he had friends now? A sudden inspiration hit him, and he turned around to face his crush.

"G-good morning, K-Kyoko-chan," the brunet stammered. He wanted to smack himself. He did not sound as sweet or cool as he had hoped. What kind of blasted idiot was he?

He need not have worried, for Kyoko lit right up, chirping, "Good morning, Tsuna-kun!" At that moment, the teacher entered the classroom, apologizing for being late. Tsuna gave a flimsy smile before turning around and standing up for morning greetings.

The day passed like a blur, mostly because Tsuna slept through his morning classes. Sure, he got more sleep than usual last night, but it did not make up for the over exertion of his body over the past few days. The teachers did not catch him, allowing the brunet to rest up that morning. Most likely, it was because Gokudera hit one of their instructors when they tried to wake up the sleeping boss. For that, he was sent to the principal's office for lunch detention, or something of that sort.

The lunch bell jolted the brunet awake, who quickly wiped the unsightly drool from his mouth. Yamamoto slipped by him, and Tsuna heard him say that he was going to the baseball club to do something. Luckily for the athlete, yesterday's excitement had died down, and not many people brought up any reminders of his suicide attempt. Tsuna heard a few girls giggle off to the side, and his face exploded in red. What if Kyoko-chan saw? That would be embarras-

"Had a good nap, Tsuna-kun?"

Said teen squeaked and turned around to see the auburnette beaming, her eyes twinkling with a playful teasing gaze. The brunet nodded dumbly, rubbing his eyes. "Y-Yeah. O-Oh, I probably l-looked ridiculous a-and pathetic." He could not believe his crush had to see him like this! She was one of the best and most attentive students in class, and he...well. He was not.

Giggling, Kyoko chirped, "No, no. It's fine! I thought it was rather cu-"

"Hey Kyoko," a familiar voice cut in, and Mochida appeared, slinging a hand across Kyoko's shoulders. She shifted under the strength of his arm, smiling warmly, "Hello, Mochida-senpai!"

Mochida did not even bother acknowledging the brunet, who was staring fearfully at the kendoka.[1] "You coming after school to watch the fight, doll?"

A crooked frown appeared on Kyoko's face. "Fight? What fight?" She looked to Tsuna, hoping to find an answer, but the brunet seemed petrified. Mochida snorted, "Dame-Tsuna and I will be battling after school in your honor. I'll win, of course."

"You shouldn't call him that, Mochida-senpai," Kyoko scolded lightly, missing the scowl that crept across the older teen's face. Frown still in place, the girl asked, "Is this true, Tsuna-kun?" Normally, Kyoko leaves the room as soon as the bell rings to find her friends in the other rooms, so always missed the infamous lunch scuffles. Apparently, the rumors had not spread to her, and this was all news to her.

The brunet peered at the intimidating dark eyes of his opponent again, mumbling, "S-Something like that..."

"What? Tsuna-kun!" The auburnette did not seem one bit pleased. "I don't like people fighting for no good reason! Or fighting at all!" She turned to Mochida, "Call off the match!"

"Can't do that, sweetheart," the kendoka said suavely, piercing Tsuna with his gaze. "This one insulted you. I can't let it stand." The brunet looked up in apparent horrified surprise. Well, this was a new low.

Eyes uncertain, Kyoko looked at her friend again. Her mouth twisted, "Did...you really, Tsuna-kun?"

His mouth was open to retaliate. He was angry. He was furious. He was...

...scared to death. Mochida's gaze was murderous, and the frightened brunet could not get a single word out. Kyoko's hopeful and expectant gaze fell, and she pursed her lips. "I see." She shifted awkwardly, "I'll be going now." Without another word of goodbye, the auburnette left, grabbing her bag and sliding out the door, a confused Hana in tow.

Devastation flooded the brunet as he watched his crush leave. W-what had he done? Why did he not deny the slanderous lies?

Mochida was smirking, "She took it well. Hmph, I was hoping she would smack you or something. She's just too nice. I love that about her."

Eyes flickering angrily, Tsuna frowned, "You lied to her about me! How cou-"

"You didn't deny it," Mochida pointed out, grinning maliciously. Sheepishly, the brunet looked down, hating his inability to defend himself so very much. "Besides, it won't matter. Once you lose today, you'll have to steer clear of Kyoko anyways."

Tsuna was angry. Really angry. Angry that he had probably just lost a friendship with a very important person to him. Angry that he did nothing to stop it. Angry that Mochida was stepping all over him.

Pleased, the kendoka gave final words, "Don't forget, Dame-Tsuna. After school at the gym."

With that, Mochida walked away, leaving the brunet in his misery. He felt every pair of eyes in the room staring at him again, and desperately wanted to be alone. He grabbed his lunch and bag, sliding out of the room as well.

Yamamoto was humming to himself on the way back to the classroom. He saw the brunet coming towards him, and started to greet him. When Tsuna just rushed past him, Takeshi blinked in confusion, realizing something was wrong. Immediately, he doubled back to go after the brunet.

"Tsuna!" No response. "Hey Tsuna!" When the brunet ignored him again, Yamamoto reached out, grabbing his shoulder.

It was shaking.

Taken aback, the baseball star skipped ahead to stand in front of the brunet. "Hey hey, what's wrong?" Tsuna looked up, eyes dully staring.

Terror. Devastation. Regret. Anger. Disappointment. Self-loathing. All these emotions swirled in those caramel depths that Yamamoto peered into, and his smile dropped. Those dead eyes were the same ones he had seen for years on the brunet. With a reassuring pat, Takeshi gently said, "We'll go find Gokudera, then go to the roof for lunch, ok?"

The brunet nodded, a slight soothing feeling trickling into him. He allowed Yamamoto to lead the way to detention, and Tsuna raised his eyebrows. What did he miss while he was asleep?

Quietly, Yamamoto opened the door. With a sigh, the detention proctor looked up with bored eyes. "Yes, Yamamoto-kun?" he droned.

With a laugh, he replied, "Haha, can we see Hayato Gokudera please?"

"He's in detention."

"I'm aware of that, haha."

Gokudera had his legs slung onto the desk, and he appraised the newcomer with curious green eyes. When he saw the expression on his precious boss's face, however, horror marred his features and he sat right up. "Juudaime!" Immediately, he got up, walking over to the brunet.

"Sit down, Gokudera. This is detention," the teacher sighed, making no additional effort to stop the delinquent.

A quickly spat, "Like hell I will," from Gokudera was directed at the dispassionate supervisor before the bomber was out of the room. The teacher yawned, apparently not caring much. After all, he was forced to watch detention kids during his precious lunch. Who would want to do that?

Gokudera immediately did a check over of the brunet. There were no physical injuries that he could see of, and the wounds he had contributed(at which he flinched at the thought of) were healing. "What's wrong, Juudaime?" the bomber questioned, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Eyes of students were staring at them from all around, so Yamamoto pulled his friends along, "Let's talk on the roof ok? Privacy and all."

With that, the trio ascended to the top of the school, where students rarely went. As usual, the top was empty. It was a nice, sunny and warm day. Tsuna squinted, trying to adjust to the light, tripping on the threshold of the door leading to the rooftop. Gokudera caught him, and the brunet muttered a quiet thanks.

"So what's wrong, Tsuna?" Takeshi frowned, leaning against the wall. Hayato listened attentively.

Sighing, the brunet murmured, "M-Mochida-senpai...I really don't want to fight him." Yamamoto seemed sheepish for a moment, as he was the one who reworked the deal for the two of them without Tsuna's consent. Hayato was still listening, eyes sharp and alert.

"H-He's going to destroy me...a-and I thought I could fight at first, s-since I was doing it for K-Kyoko-chan," Tsuna's expression completely plummeted at the mention of her name, "B-But now she's a-angry at m-me, a-and I d-don't think I-I can do this a-anymore..." He was shaking again, and Yamamoto immediately placed his hand on his friend's shoulder again, trying to calm him.

"Maa maa, why is she mad?"

Tsuna looked at the ground, eyes clamped shut. "S-she doesn't like f-fighting...and Mochida told her that I had in-insulted her. She l-looked so sad when he said t-that. Like I had betrayed her o-or something."

Amber eyes softened, "But there's no way you could have actually s-"

"I was too scared by Mochida to d-deny that, a-and Kyoko-chan thought I really did!" Tsuna blurted out, fingers curling around his clothes. "I-I can't do a thing for myself. I-If Kyoko-chan h-hates me, I can't fight this a-afternoon."

Hayato gazed up, emeralds calculating. "You're right."

Hurt caramels and shocked ambers looked at Gokudera in stunned silence, but the bomber crossed his arms, "You can't do anything when it comes to yourself. You don't have a selfish bone in your body. During our fight, you didn't do anything until this idiot's life was at risk. Or mine." The bomber paused, noting his boss was listening. "Just now was the runt I hated so much that was speaking. Kyoko Sasagawa is being played by Mochida. The Juudaime I know," Gokudera smiled, "Would stand to defend her, whether she hated him or not. Because he cares for her, he would fight no matter what, right?"

Takeshi's frown flowered into a shining grin, catching the silverette off guard. What was h-he so happy about...?

Tsuna was floored. His mouth was gawking as he struggled for the words to reply to Gokudera's motivational speech. So many emotions and thoughts flickered through his mind to the point where he was too confused. Finally, one domineering thought settled, and the brunet smiled.

"Thank you, Gokudera-kun...I really needed that." Life burned in those caramel eyes again, and he continued, "I have to do this. Thank you, guys." He sat down, finally opening his lunchbox, heart warming at his mother's food. He held up her daily chocolate, pleased with the caramel filling inside.

Maybe...he could be as happy as the caramel.

After lunch, the trio headed back towards class. Gokudera reluctantly parted with his companions, leaving Yamamoto and Tsuna to go to gym. They ran into Hana Kurokawa on the way there, and the absolutely livid expression on her face was reserved for none other than the brunet.

"Sawada, you have a lot of nerve to show yourself around after you insulted Kyoko," she hissed, advancing on him. Tsuna flinched back, stepping ever so slightly behind Yamamoto. Takeshi laughed, placing a hand on Hana. "Maa maa, you don't know the whole story!"

"Really." It was neither a question nor a statement. "I expected more from you, Yamamoto. You're defending him?" she sneered.

Before Yamamoto would reply, Tsuna stepped forward again, frowning lightly, "Kurokawa-san. Tell Kyoko-chan..." he fidgeted. He was not doing this for himself, he was..."I'm doing this for Kyoko. Please have her come after school to watch the fight. I-I'll," he flushed, "E-explain everything then." His moment of bravery was over, and in embarrassment, the brunet scampered away to gym class. Walking into the building, he dreaded what was to come.

Hana watched him go, expression unreadable. Ignoring Yamamoto, she turned and headed in the other direction. Smiling to herself, she murmured, "As I suspected. Interesting, Sawada." She saw Mochida laughing with his friends, making a pompous ass out of himself. Rolling her eyes, Kurokawa went to find her best friend to tell her a certain brunet's words.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blink of an eye. The foreboding bell signaled the end of the day, but it seemed like the masses were heading to the gym.

Oh crap.

Tsuna stood up from his seat, immediately flocked on both sides by his two friends. "We'll be cheering you on, Juudaime!" Hayato grinned, and Tsuna nodded timidly in response. Takeshi laughed. After Tsuna made a quick stop to the bathroom to change into an old set of clothes he found at home(no way was he going to lose his uniform in case Reborn shot him again), trio headed to the gym again. The murmur of the students died down when they walked in, and Mochida's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You actually came, Dame-Tsuna!" the kendoka laughed arrogantly. He was already decked out in his kendo armor, bamboo sword in hand. Gokudera narrowed his eyes, "Isn't Juudaime getting any armor?"

"No one else brought any armor with them today, as there is no practice," Mochida shrugged, smirking. "I got an extra sword though. It wouldn't be a fair fight if he didn't have a sword in the first place." Amusement crossed his face.

/This isn't a fair fight regardless!/ Tsuna bit his lip, tugging at his shirt again. A referee stood off in the middle, smiling slyly. He was an underclassman on Mochida's team, no doubt one of his many worshippers. Great.

Tsuna scanned the crowd, easily spotting Kyoko. She was looking at him, face blank. He saw Ryohei Sasagawa hovering over his sister, arms crossed in anticipation. Heart hammering, the brunet advanced forward, accepting the sword from the referee. Nervously, he gripped it tightly in both hands and turned to Mochida. "R-Rules?"

"I'll make it simpler and easier on you," the kendoka smirked, "The goal is to beat the person down until they are unable to get up in 10 seconds. Any move with the body or sword is allowed. Any kind of strike, weapon or skin."

Ryohei's eyes lit up, "It's just like boxing, to the extreme! Well, except where to hit."

Takeshi frowned deeply, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Hissing, Hayato grinded his teeth, "That bastard is only looking for an excuse to beat up Juudaime." Gokudera was not stupid. He respected Tsunayoshi greatly, but knew that the boy still had great limitations. But that Dying Will flame he saw had enough potential for the bomber to believe in his boss.

"I-I'll accept t-those conditions," Tsuna stammered, clutching the sword tightly. Mochida grinned, holding his sword in ready position. "The prize, of course, is Kyoko Sasagawa."

Murmurs arose from the crowd, and Hana protested, "What does that mean, you slimy jerk?" Even Kyoko's chocolate eyes widened, a frown spreading. Her brother demanded, "WHAT WAS THAT?" The younger Sasagawa immediately tried to calm him down.

Tsuna's mouth moved, but no one heard his words. Mochida, curious about whatever foolishness the boy might have said, decided to humor the crowd, "What's that, Dame-Tsuna?"

He had to say it. He had to. It was what he came to do. Looking up, a certain determination sparkled in Tsuna's eyes. "Kyoko-chan i-isn't a prize. You have done nothing but treated her like so. She's a-a friend that I," red scattered across his cheeks, "hold dear to me. I never insulted her. And I never will. I-I'm sorry i-if you thought otherwise, Kyoko-chan." Oh my god, had he just said all that embarrassing crap in front of his classmates? No, wait. The whole school.

He might as well go into Dying Will now and embarrass himself further.

Legs shaking, Tsuna gazed at Kyoko. Caramel met chocolate, a silent exchange of apologies and forgiveness made. A bright smile spread across the auburnette's face, and the brunet felt a similar one cross his features.

A voice called something out, and Kyoko looked away, startled. Ryohei's face contorted and he shouted, "SAWADA! THE EXTREME MATCH STAR-"

Before the boxer finished, the air suddenly expelled violently from Tsuna's lungs. He gasped, doubling over in pain. Overhead in the balcony, a shadow watched silently.

The kendoka pulled back his sword, the hilt he had used to jab with still facing the falling brunet. Tsuna collapsed onto his knees, gagging and clutching at his stomach.

10.

Four simultaneous cries from Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei and Kyoko we're directed at the brunet.

9.

Tsuna writhed on his knees, desperately trying to compose himself.

8, 7.

Dark, furious eyes seared down at the brunet, and Mochida smirked. "Hmph. I'm surprised you could even talk like that, Dame-Tsuna."

6, 5, 4, 3.

Mochida began to walk away, but a feeble voice stopped him dead in his tracks. "S-St-op."

Hayato's face brightened, and he cheered, "As expected of Juudaime!"

Tsuna had struggled to his feet, head still down. Heavy panting and wincing could be heard, but the boy had gotten up before his ten seconds were up.

The smile was wiped right off Mochida's face.

All around, the crowd was buzzing with stunned excitement, eager to see the outcome now that Tsuna had proven to have more fight in him than expected. The brunet winced again before taking a deep breath and erecting himself, masking his pain with the fiercest determination he could muster.

Which was not much. But it was the attempt that counted.

Gripping the sword clumsily, the brunet rushed at his opponent, swinging. Mochida blocked it easily, striking Tsuna once again. Yelping, Tsuna stumbled back, squeaking as he blocked another strong hit from Mochida.

The power in the kendoka's seasoned attacks easily overwhelmed the brunet, and the boy quickly realized that he stood no chance against blocking or countering. Whenever he swung, his wrist would hurt more, so he slowly stopped trying to attack altogether. So he did what he did best.

He ran. He dodged. He evaded.

With each move made by his opponent, Tsuna dodged faster, getting used to the patterns of attack. He desperately tried to come up with a counter attack. Swords and weapons were no good in his hands; he had absolutely no coordination or skill with them, usually hurting himself instead. However, he did not want to abandon his sword for flimsy fists and kicks.

Mochida was becoming increasingly frustrated with the evasive brunet. None of his attacks were connecting anymore, and the kendoka just wanted the midget to stay down. Lunging, Mochida attempted a reckless jab, but Tsuna moved out of the way just in time. With the opening, Tsuna swung down.

A moment's hesitation slowed his speed and dampened his strength; the strike that hit Mochida's armored back did not even register pain on the kendoka. Smirking, Mochida swung, smacking Tsuna on the thigh. With a howl of pain, the brunet collapsed onto his back, blinking and gasping when a sword approached his face. He shifted to the side just in time, hearing the sickening crack of the bamboo sword against the ground and feeling the air disturbed by the fast-moving weapon. Tsuna rolled away, scrambling to balance himself on one good foot and the sword. Cold sweat dotted his temples, and he felt his whole body freezing over in terror.

All around, students who had saw the head bash were restless about the foul move, some yelling out. Kyoko seemed horrified, terrified chocolate eyes meeting Tsuna's tired caramels. His thigh was stinging terribly, but he had to get up. There was absolutely no way he would let Kyoko down. Not like this.

Up on the balcony, technicolor flashes gave way to a green gun with a silencer, cocked and ready to fire. Reborn smiled, taking aim at his student's forehead. "That's quite enough of that." His tiny fingers squeezed the trigger, and the bullet nestled itself neatly into the brunet's head, with minimal blood spurting out.

/I will regret losing here. I will regret losing for Kyoko./

Tsuna jerked back only momentarily before an intense flame that would have put the sun to shame exploded from his head. His ratty old clothes burst off his body, revealing his boxers. He had chosen the pair with the little tuna imprint, considerably less embarrassing than his cartoon boxers. He would never admit it, but tuna fish made him feel…luckier.

Mochida's dark eyes widened in shock, but he bit back a yelp of surprise, snarling, "And the pervert shows up again."

Instead of a nervous squeak as he had expected, Mochida was rudely shocked when the brunet screamed, "MOCHIDA! I WON'T LET YOU WIN!" The whole gym was gawking, and some boys had begun cheering fervently for the brunet. Those who had witnessed Tsuna's heroic rescue yesterday were eager to see more, albeit confused and disturbed that the brunet was in his underwear again.

"WOAH. HE LOOKS LIKE A BOXER, TO THE EXTREME!" Ryohei cheered. Well, apparently, not everyone was uncomfortable with the underwear.

"Mochida is screwed," Gokudera grinned, crossing his arms in satisfaction. Yamamoto laughed, placing his hand on his hip, "Go for it, Tsuna!"

One voice stood out amongst the others. Kyoko. "Tsuna-kun! Good luck!" she screamed, face flushed.

With one decisive move, Tsuna threw the bamboo sword on the ground, allowing it to skid towards the audience, abandoned. He ran right at Mochida, taking a strike directly on his arm. Without so much as a flinch, the brunet swept at the kendoka's feet, intending to trip him. Mochida jumped out of the way, striking the brunet again.

Tsuna took blow after blow without pain or discomfort, simply blocking them, eyes ablaze. He growled as Mochida pulled back, readying for another swing. Tsuna fisted his hand, letting it collide with the incoming sword, snapping it in half.

"What the hell?" Mochida yelped, taking a step back. The brunet pulled back his fist, planting his hands as a firm hold on the ground. Using his arms as leverage, Tsuna directed a roundhouse kick at the back of his opponent's upper thigh, in the same spot Reborn had kicked last night.

Almost immediately, Mochida's leg buckled, crashing him to the ground. He yelped in surprise, and tried to get back to his feet right away.

He collapsed again.

10 seconds ticked away quickly, and begrudgingly, the referee called the match, announcing Tsuna as the winner.

The gym exploded. People were screaming in amazement, others cheering, the loudest being Gokudera, Yamamato, Kyoko and Ryohei. Well, maybe Ryohei.

Mochida was fuming. He lost…to Dame-Tsuna? Of all people? And not even from beating him up! Mochida was completely capable of fighting longer, but the brunet had done…something to his leg! He succumbed to absolute rage because of the humiliation.

Murderous glares pierced the brunet's flaming caramels. Hissing, Mochida gripped his broken sword so tightly his knuckles turned white, and suddenly, he lashed the splintered sword at Tsuna, aiming straight for his throat. The brunet evaded to the side, allowing the sword to stab into his hand. His fingers closed around the splintered sword, yanking it from Mochida's grasp, like taking candy from a baby.

Very splintery, deadly candy.

With his free hand, the brunet grabbed whatever cloth that was around Mochida's neck area, hulling him right up to his face, so close that the kendoka could feel the flame of the fire. "STOP!" he screamed, terrifying the upperclassman. "THE MATCH IS OVER. ADMIT YOUR DEFEAT!" Tsuna dropped him back on the ground, glaring down fiercely. The kendoka could only nod numbly, looking away in anger. He tried to get up again, but failed once again. "What the hell did you do to me, you bastard?"

At that moment, the intense Dying Will flame flickered and faded, returning the brunet to normal. He yelped, feeling the sting of the splinters imbedded into his palm. Hissing, he tried to take them out, wincing painfully each time his fingers made contact with the hurt palm. As he worked, he avoided eye contact with Mochida, now suddenly really nervous about his victory.

"I-It was something that disables the nerves in your legs, I think." Come to think of it, how did Tsuna know how to do that? As far as he knew, he had absolutely no knowledge of any points on the body that could do something like that.

Dully staring, the kendoka growled, looking away again. Tsuna's imposing atmosphere was gone, but the upperclassman had no more will to fight.

With a relieved sigh, the brunet plopped down onto his bottom. Tsuna's friends flocked over to him, Gokudera fluttering around him in concern, Yamamoto laughing, and Ryohei cheering rambunctiously to the heavens. Kyoko knelt down, taking Tsuna's hand in hers before proceeding to take out each splinter gently. His face dusted in red as she giggled, "I have to apologize to you, Tsuna-kun," she looked into his eyes, "I didn't believe you earlier. That was so stupid and rude of me. I just didn't expect Mochida to lie like that. I'm really sorry. You had no need to apologize to me." Her chocolate eyes burned with intense and regretful sincerity.

"Kyoko-chan…" the brunet breathed, face flushing crimson. "N-No. I should have b-been clearer. I don't blame you for getting upset." He looked down, trying to control his blush. That was a mistake. He realized he was in his underwear again. Tsuna groaned.

"So," she giggled, "I was the prize?"

"What?" Tsuna gasped, head snapping up. "N-NO! Definitely not!" It would be nice though…to ask Kyoko out on a date…

The auburnette pulled out the last splinter, smiling, "Well, you still won. So how about we go somewhere this Sunday together?"

What.

Did the world just stop? Did time freeze?

Why was it so hard to speak all of a sudden? To breathe? To actually get anything working with his body?

Jaw ajar (any function he had keeping it closed was gone), Tsuna could only stare at the grinning face of his long-time crush.

She just asked him to hang out on Sunday. Together. Just the two of them. Like a date.

Holy crap, did she just ask him out on a date? Kyoko Sasagawa just asked him out on a d-

"N-No! H-Hibari-san, don-ARG!"

A bloodcurdling scream cut the brunet out of his thoughts, and everyone's head turned to towards the entrance of the gym, where people seemed to be flying…yes FLYING…off in different directions. Panicking, the crowd screamed and scattered, parting like the sea for the solitary figure cutting through.

The black-clad figure casually strolled towards the center where Tsuna's congregation was. The golden trimming of the Disciplinary Committee armband around his arm glittered in the sun, complementing the shining steel tonfas in the person's hands. Kyoya Hibari narrowed his eyes when he spotted his targets. If Tsuna thought his blood went chilly during his fight against Mochida, he might as well have been in the arctic at this moment.

"Undisciplined herbivores," the prefect droned, "What is the meaning of this?"

The gym went eerily silent, no one daring to respond. Finally, Hibari yawned, raising his tonfas. "I'm going to bite you all to death."

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><p><strong>Wao. <strong>

…

**Yeah, that's all I have to say, LOL.**

**I tossed in very slight 8059. Darrrn. More next chapter! Definitely. **

**Hope you really enjoyed that chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it. The skirmish against Hibari was supposed to be this chapter as well, but I decided to leave it off because I added more than I had intended into this chapter. C:**

**Review replies: **

**[1]Kendoka is a practitioner of kendo. The kanji used for -ka means house/family by itself, but when placed with a profession, it means "practitioner". Kanji is just a total bitch like that. I'm fairly certain it's placed with most professions. Like a karate user is karate-ka, and judo would be judoka. I forgot the only non-martial art example I know. FFFFF. **

**lildevil425: More realistic was what I was going for! I'm glad you're interested! OuO And oh wow…I didn't know that. That's really awful, especially since most of these people cannot help it. ;n; Thanks for telling me. **

**Dashusi4ka: Never said Iemitsu didn't love his family. ;D Tsuna is just hostile towards a man who seemingly never shows up at home, doesn't act much like a father when he does and doesn't send much money. Knowing that he works in a high position in the mafia, I'm sure Iemitsu is exposed to a lot of dangers that he probably doesn't want to pass onto his beloved family. Oops. I said too much. In all honesty, I have an immense dislike of Iemitsu in the series because I feel like his "tough love" attitude towards Tsuna is rather irritating. That's Reborn's job. I understand the situations he gets in don't call for much familial sympathy, but I wish I could see more father-son moments for them, especially since it's quite clear Iemitsu cares for Tsuna.**

**LOL, oh boy, I actually thought long and hard about canon Tsuna being OOC. I think the best explanation may actually be genetics. Iemitsu is rather tough, so maybe, even though Tsuna is bullied so much, because he's got a more sarcastic and cynical nature, he can deal with all the insults he received throughout the series. Just my thoughts. I personally really like Tsuna's characterization, since he isn't like a stereotypical Shonen hero. I really like how he's got so many weaknesses, and fights for his friends, rather than just some greater, holier-than-thou reason, like saving the world. Even when fighting Byakuran, he couldn't get serious until his friends were threatened, and he couldn't muster that last burst of energy to defeat the guy until Uni sacrificed her life. I think Tsuna wouldn't be anywhere without his friends, which is why I like him so much. The bonds he shares with his friends seem…differently from other Shonen heroes, ne? **

**Oh shoot, I ranted. SORRY, LOL! D: **

**Taira-keimei: I have to thank you for taking a little time each time to review my stories. It means a lot to me. xD Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! **

**KitsuneNaru: I'm really glad you're enjoying this story thus far! I was super excited when I saw all your reviews, actually, haha! Thank you! I never really realized that Tsuna had met Ryohei first until I was typing chapter 3, haha. I'll keep the pairings in mind. ;D **

**12417: I include little notes at the bottom of my chapters if I have them, and I did make one about Prof. Borreen. I mentioned Borreen is a canon name for Reborn, but I do believe he is a math professor in the show! I changed it up a bit, since this is, after all, a fanfic. xD **

**Ri-Ryn: I'm sorry! ;n; I'm glad you're enjoying the story, nonetheless!**

**TotalAmuto: Your wait it over! **

**I've got finals next week, so I'm going to force myself not to update for two weeks. Sorry! I will update ASAP! Super excited for the next chapter too. ;u; **

**Cheers!  
>~Alexie<strong>


	6. Healing the Scorpion's Sting

_**As usual, replies to reviews are at the bottom Author's Note!**_

**Finals, check! College apps, check! So I really must apologize for the late update. ;u; Hopefully the next one won't take so long! Eh…it might. Maybe two weeks? I want to try and update weekly, but I've been working a lot on art for an uncoming anime convention. If there's a particular scene in this story that you guys like, please let me know. I'll sketch it out, haha. But I don't think any of the scenes are interesting enough for that…eh. **

**I wanted to say thank you to all my reviewers! I found the energy and motivation to finish this chapter (it was sitting around for about a week, to be honest) from reading some of them. So thank you, and please take a little time to review if you can! **

**I also apologize that this chapter is a tad bit shorter than my other ones. (By 1000 words) I can assure you though, next chapter is going to be long. Really long. I'm going to introduce a bulk of the remaining characters in it, so look forward to it. **

**Also, has anyone been reading the new chapters of KHR? Have they just not been the most AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE things you've ever seen? Oh my god, I think I've reread each of the chapters for the past 3 weeks at least 10 times each. So gooodddddddddd.**

**Last Chapter: Yamamoto returned home, to his father's immense relief, and the grateful Tsuyoshi promised free meals for Tsuna and Gokudera anytime they wanted in return for saving his son's life. On the way home to Tsuna's house, the brunet decided to buy new underwear, not willing to deal with another embarrassing Dying Will ordeal in his cartoon boxers. Gokudera and Yamamoto prove to be true friends when they defended their boss from a trio of bullies. At home, Tsuna went through another Spartan homework session with Reborn, but was preoccupied with worries about the next day's fight. Before the fight could even begin, however, Mochida deceived Kyoko into thinking that Tsuna had insulted her, and the brunet is devastated by the possibility of losing her friendship. However, despite a grueling fight with Mochida, Tsuna refused to give in and allow Kyoko to be a "prize" for the winner of the match. Reborn summoned his student's Dying Will, and Tsuna managed to temporarily paralyze Mochida's legs without harming him, thus winning the match. However, celebrations would have to wait until later…**

…**for Hibari Kyoya had come to bite certain people to death.**

**Warnings: graphic content, swearing **

**Disclaimer: Lately, KHR has simply been too amazing for me to even dream of owning it.**

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><p><em>Chapter 6: Healing the Scorpion's Sting<em>

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><p>There was once an infamous bully at Namimori Middle by the name of Renji. He had practically run a mob at the school, and a very successful one at that. With superior intelligence and martial artist skills, the boy had been a force to be reckoned with. Praised for being a prodigy, Renji had remained on the good side of oblivious teachers, keeping his mob and their activities in secret. No one had dared to defy the gang, and they went a year of terrorizing all the middle school students whether the students had gotten in the gang's way or not.<p>

One chilly autumn day, a new student entered school. Because of his quiet, cool, and collected demeanor, along with excellent marks in school, this student was marked as a potential danger to the gang. After the second week of the newcomer's arrival, the mob got the new kid alone, eager to make sure that they put the new guy in his place before he became a threat.

The result was completely the opposite.

Rumors spread the next day about several important members of the gang, including Renji, being hospitalized for broken bones and concussions. For days, the mob had nightmares about the devilish newcomer who single-handedly destroyed them. Somehow, evidence showed up that the boys had had a violent brawl amongst themselves, resulting in their expulsion. No matter how fervently they protested that the new kid had beat them up, Renji and his middle-school mobsters were sent to a juvenile correctional facility, and the new student was let off, scott-free.

No one bothered to tell the boys that the new student was the son of a very wealthy, very influential, and now deceased politician.

Back at the school, the new kid had made a name for himself. Kyoya Hibari was renowned as the school's savior, and remaining members of Renji's disbanded mob pledged their loyalty to him. (Out of true loyalty or fear, it did not matter. Hibari could deal with either situation.) Hibari set up his own group, a congregation of strong boys from the old mob that kept the peace at Namimori Middle. He called it the Disciplinary Committee.

Unfortunately for the students, they found Hibari just as terrifying...no, definitely more so, than Renji ever was. Although the prefect did not make a point to torture students for fun, he constantly threatened to "bite" people to death for being undisciplined(his definition being rather extreme) and ruthlessly punished his prey, sending scores of victims to Namimori General Hospital.

But as long as no one broke rules and avoided direct confrontation with Kyoya, he left them alone. If someone did break rules, like say, start a fight on school grounds, there was no better bait to bring out the predatorial prefect, and no better way to grind his nerves.

Or satiate his terrifying bloodthirst.

Which was why Tsuna was shaking in fright at the arrival of said prefect, who stood in all of his intimidating glory. He was quite attractive, but girls feared him more than they lusted for him, therefore steering clear of the boy. Guys left him alone completely. People seemed to repel automatically as Hibari strolled forward, but three people stood their ground.

"What's that you bastard?" Gokudera, at the vanguard, hissed. Ryohei and Yamamoto flanked his heels, shielding Tsuna as well. Kyoya narrowed his eyes at the silverette, brandishing his tonfas, "Hmph. I never got to bite you to death yesterday. I suppose now would suffice."

Mochida was wide-eyed. Even as pompous as he was, there was no way he would defy the prefect. One problem though.

"I can't get up," Mochida huffed, slight desperatation noticeable in his voice. Tsuna's eyes only got wider, and he suddenly cried out, "W-Wait Hibari-san! M-Mochida-senpai can't e-even move right now!" Almost immediately, the brunet slapped a hand over his mouth. Mochida was gawking, ears unbelieving. Even the Sasagawas seemed surprised, but Yamamoto and Gokudera were not.

Hibari could not care less. He continued advancing, and Gokudera pulled out a few sticks of dynamite. The corners of the prefect's mouth turned up, and he hummed, "Bringing dynamite is against school rules. You will be punished accordingly." Hibari took off in a sprint, charging straight at Gokedera.

The bomber clicked his tongue, cigarette already in place. "No, Gokudera-kun, don't!" Tsuna cried out; a second later, the bombs crackled fiercely, hurling towards the rushing prefect. The next second, every bomb was diffused, knocked uselessly to the ground. Emerald eyes widened as the smirking Kyoya closed in. Gokudera felt something smack into his side, but it was not the cold steel of tonfas.

A cry of pain unleashed from Takeshi as Hibari's tonfa grinded into his side, the force sending the teen sprawling to the floor. That left Hayato gaping like a fish, thoroughly surprised that the baseball star had just pushed him out of harm's way. He would have be the one curling in pain right now if Yamamoto had not jumped in. That being said, the baseball idiot was already injured to begin with, and really had no right to take the hit for the perfectly healthy and hardened bomber. Hibari stared uninterestedly at the fallen athlete, poising his foot to kick him further away.

New anger rushing through him, Gokudera withdrew more dynamite, snarling, "Bastard, you got some nerve attacking someone who's already down." He shot a few sticks of tiny dynamite straight for Hibari's head, and the prefect stopped to defend against the new set of bombs. Again, the disciplinary chairman diffused the bombs, but his attention was back on Hayato.

Tsuna was watching in mute horror, knowing nothing good will come out of this fight. Caramel eyes darted frantically to Takeshi, who was sprawled on the ground. They darted back to Gokudera, who had sent another wave of dynamite at Hibari. Again, the bomber of thwarted, and he had to move fast to evade a swift swing of Hibari's tonfas.

Before the silverette could pull out more dynamite, Tsuna's impatient and desperate voice finally cut through, "G-Gokudera-kun! Stop! Y-You can't use dynamite in here!"

Hayato flinched, dodging the next blow before withdrawing his hand from his bombs. He wanted to listen to his boss, but how could he figh-

"EXTREME FIGHT!" a voice roared, and Ryohei intercepted the match, swinging a controlled fist at Hibari. The prefect dodged flawlessly, slamming the tonfa into the boxer's defending arm.

Ryohei grunted, but made no indication of pain from the blocked blow, surprising most of the bystanders. Kyoya raised his eyebrows slightly, humming, "Wow." He followed up with another strike and the boxer defended once more, face scrunched in concentration.

Frowning, Kyoko called out, "Onii-chan! You promised you wouldn't fight anymore!" Tsuna stared at her, dumbfounded. Did she not realize her brother was always fighting during boxing?

"There's a difference between street fights and defending your friends to the extreme!" her brother replied passionately, fists raised again. Hayato scoffed, thoroughly pissed off that Ryohei had interrupted his fight. Still, continuing as he was would have been futile, so the bomber reluctantly backed off as Hibari and Ryohei continued exchanging hits. He had greater concerns. Emeralds eyes flickered to the brunet, who was now gaping at the older Sasagawa, but he seemed mostly fine, to Gokudera's relief. On the other hand, another comrade was in more need of help.

Gokudera cursed whatever mysterious force it was that compelled him to head towards a certain baseball freak. He reasoned it was simply gratitude for the save. A very unnecessary and foolish save. Yeah, that was all.

Yamamoto had sat up, curling into his left side where Hibari hit him. Weakly, he laughed, "Haha, you okay, Gokudera?"

"You're completely moronic," the bomber stated, watching the athlete's smile take on a confused aura. "Honestly, really moronic. Why did you help me?" he demanded, kneeling down to the baseball star, emerald eyes flashing.

With a grin, Yamamoto chirped, "Can't help a friend?"

"In your condition? You're a genius," Gokudera retorted, eyes rolling. Yamamoto responded with another one of those laughs that Gokudera hated, wincing slightly when his side throbbed.

Rough hands grabbed Takeshi's shoulder and waist, and the injured teen blinked in surprise as an irritated Hayato proceeded to help his companion to his feet. "Don't do it again," he told the baseball star.

"Aw Gokudera, I can't promise something like that. If it's only an issue of health, then don't worry about it," Yamamoto pouted, wincing slightly again.

"Just don't do it again." Hayato was obstinate in his words. He had no desire to be indebted to the baseball idiot of all people. Helping him this once was simply repayment for what he did.

Yamamoto raised his eyebrows, not offering a response this time. Instead, he turned his attention to the fight, noting neither side was gaining much momentum. Ryohei continued to block and dodge while Hibari unleashed attack after attack. Many close calls were made, and Tsuna was getting more anxious with each move made by the fighters.

"Those two are quite impressive. They should join the family too," Reborn suddenly appeared at Tsuna's side, smirking when the brunet squealed.

"Reborn-chan?" Kyoko blinked, "What are you doing at our school?"

"Just normal business," was his mysterious reply, leaving Kyoko confused. The baby strode forward, catching the attention of a few spectators.

"There's a baby!"

"Whose is it?"

"Watch out, little kid!"

Ryohei was momentarily distracted, whirling his head to the hitman. "Hey kid! You shouldn't be h-"

The butt of the tonfa found itself firmly implanted into Ryohei's stomach, sending the boxer back at few steps. Kyoko cried out in concern, but before Hibari could deliver another hit, Reborn jumped before him, Leon-gun raised. Kyoya paused, steel eyes lit in slight curiosity. Everyone held their breath, suspense engulfing the gym.

"Ciaossu! That's quite enough, Kyoya Hibari. I must say I'm quite pleased." Reborn smiled, an air of professionalism surrounding him that even his squeaky voice could not diminish. The prefect twitched slightly, dropping down to deliver a sweeping kick at the hitman. With a fluid jump, the baby shot into the air, landing on Hibari's head briefly before leaping behind him, gun cocked and ready.

"I'd stop if I were you," smiled Reborn, but his voice had taken on a dangerous edge. Noticing this, the prefect let his arms fall to his side casually, smiling, "Wow. How interesting. Let me fight you, infant."

"Nope," Reborn smirked at Hibari's narrowing eyes. "Another time. I have business to take care of. I assure you I will handle matters here."

A pregnant pause followed before Kyoya shrugged, tucking his tonfas away. Without another word, he turned around, his slick coat flaring out as he walked off, shoes clacking in the silence of the gym. The tense atmosphere immediately dissipated when the prefect left, and students began chattering again, wondering what had just transpired.

"Tsuna," the tutor turned to his student, "We should get you to the nurse. Yamamoto as well. The sooner you're patched up, the sooner we can get home and work on your homework." He began walking off, smiling at the horrified expression on Tsuna's face.

Ryohei stalked over to his sister, grumbling something about missing out on his match. Otherwise, he seemed fine despite taking a hit to the stomach.

The Sasagawa siblings helped the brunet to the nurse while Gokudera reluctantly shouldered Yamamoto, whose insistence that he could walk himself were promptly silenced when he nearly collapsed from one step. Finally, the group made it to the nurse's office, but voices could be heard from within, one female, no doubt the nurse, and one older male.

The silverette stopped short. That voice...he recognized it anywhere.

Gokudera's face suddenly hardened, and an angry growl rumbled in his throat. Without wasting a beat, the silverette violently twisted the doorknob, kicking the door open. Seated at the nurse's table was the woman herself, but her face was contorted into an expression of distaste that was directed at the man sitting next to her. Unruly brown locks and unshaved stubble implied a just-out-of-bed appearance for the man. He had on a white doctor's coat and was currently holding up a stethoscope to her.

"Baby, why don't you just listen to your heart and go out with me, eh?" The man winked, but his flirtatious expression fell when he heard a voice blast in his ear.

"You fucking sleezebag! The hell are you doing here?" Hayato roared, causing every occupant to jump. Poor Takeshi was dragged over with him and was subjected to the same intense volume of the silverette's outburst. The male doctor rubbed a finger in his ear, drawling, "Hayato, Hayato. I'm sure I already mentioned loud sounds destroy the limited ear hair cells we have. I kinda need those to hear the beautiful music of a woman's voice."

"Shove your shit back up your ass where it belongs, you creep," Gokudera hissed. Tsuna was taken back by the pure virulence in his friend's voice. Yamamoto was blinking in surprise, trying to pull himself away from the exploding silverette. Luckily for him, Gokudera suddenly let go of him and grabbed the man by the coat, snarling, "Who sent you, Shamal?" Yamamoto grabbed onto the table to keep himself upright as he watched the bomber grill the male doctor.

Shamal, as he was called, yawned loudly. "No one. I heard Japanese chicks were hot. That most certainly wasn't a lie." He winked at the nurse again, who looked away in disgust. She caught sight of Tsuna and immediately began to fuss over him, although everyone was still staring at the confrontation.

"Liar," he gritted his teeth, shaking Shamal. The doctor rolled his eyes, "Let go. Now." Hayato narrowed his eyes, flickering to Shamal's hands before letting go, remembering some nasty memories. Shamal sighed, adjusting his coat, mumbling something about it being ruined.

"If you want the truth," Shamal started (to which Gokudera snorted at), "I chased your sister to Japan. Found out you were around here so I came here to say hi." He glanced up at Hayato before smirking. As expected, the silverette was frozen, face paling considerably. All the fire was gone, replaced with soul-sucking, icy fear. He heard nothing after the first sentence.

"M-My sister?" Gokudera blanched.

O-Oh my god. Tsuna's jaw dropped. D-Did Gokudera just stutter?

The silverette immediately whipped around, emerald eyes scanning his surroundings. Again, Shamal rolled his eyes, regarding the bomber, "If she was so much as 100 yards within here, I would already be chasing her. Your sister is hot."

The way he said hot just turned Hayato's stomach weaker. "Her cooking-"

"That's what my face masks are for," Shamal grinned, and the others could not help but wonder what was going on.

Yamamoto laughed, "Ahaha, you have a sister, Gokudera?" He suddenly winced and clutched his side, which caught the nurse's attention.

"Alright, we can chat later. The fact that conversation is more important than injured students in my office is absurd. Sasagawa, please help Sawada and Yamamoto onto beds." She went over to the baseball star while the Sasagawas led Tsuna to a bed. Gokudera still stood in shock, hands flexing into a fist. "So you chased my sister to Japan?"

"And to see you," Shamal repeated, leaning back. Temper flaring, Hayato hissed, "What kinda bullshit is that? You abandoned me when you said you wouldn't. Now you want to see me?"

Shamal glanced at the teen, noting a few bandages here and there. "You still training?"

"Of course," the silverette snorted, drawing up his full height, "And getting stronger. Haven't lost a single fight. No thanks to you."

The doctor looked at the bandages before sighing, "Then you still don't get it. I have wasted my time in coming here." He plugged his ears immediately, as Hayato roared, "WHAT?"

Every occupant had their eyes glued on the silverette and doctor. Tsuna was frightened by Gokudera. The bomber had calmed down in the past few days so the brunet had almost forgotten about his explosive temper.

"Not a total waste, I suppose. Still got this lovely woman here about to give me a check up." Shamal winked at the nurse again, who was now just ignoring him. On the other hand, Gokudera had had enough. Clenching his fists, he turned to his boss, emerald eyes flashing fiercely. The brunet flinched under the scathing glare, but the silverette spoke in an even voice, "Excuse me, Juudaime. I need to go somewhere. My apologies." He turned around quickly and left the room, slamming the door. Shamal raised his eyebrows, looking towards the shaken brunet.

"What, this runt is the Tenth Boss Reborn went looking for?" The doctor was lucky Gokudera did not hear him. Tsuna looked at Shamal in a daze before looking around, realizing Reborn was gone.

"Eh? Where did he go?" Tsuna looked around almost frantically out of fear that the hitman would jump out somewhere and kick him again. The nurse mistook it for anxiety and sighed, forcing him down on bed. "Calm down, Sawada. Just rest a while, ok? Doctor Shamal," she turned to the lecherous man, "Can you please take a look at Yamamoto? He seems to be experiencing pain in his abdomen."

Shamal did not even give them a glance. "I don't treat men."

Aghast, the nurse whirled on him, "What?"

"Honey, I only treat female patients. I don't handle males."

Tsuna was beginning to see why Gokudera was so angry with this man.

"Are you even qualified to be a doctor?" the nurse gritted her teeth, clearly having issues with keeping her anger and impatience in check. Shamal just smirked at her question. That was reassuring.

Turning back to Tsuna, she asked kindly, "Does anything hurt? Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"N-No. I'll be ok. Just some rest will do. T-thank you," Tsuna flushed. His body was not hurting as much anymore, and the splinters had all been removed by Kyoko. Perhaps if he bandaged his hand, all would be fine.

"Alrighty," she chirped, quickly going to evaluate Yamamoto. The teen just had mild bruising on his side, but was fine otherwise. After giving them ice packs, the nurse announced, "I'm going to run an errand. Boys, stay here as long as you'd like. Doctor Shamal," she eyed him warily, "Just watch them. Get them something if they need it." She was reluctant about leaving students in that man's care, but they had friends with them, after all. "See you all later," she smiled, heading out. Something told Tsuna that she was not coming back anytime soon. Oh boy.

Shamal yawned, looking disappointed as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes wandered over to Kyoko for a moment, but he looked away, boredom settling in. He yawned, staring off into space. No more than 10 seconds had passed before Shamal stood up, stuffing his hands into his coat pocket. "This place sucks. I'm going out." Rather, everyone knew he meant to say, "There are no women here, so I'm going to look for some."

Doctor Shamal was not a difficult individual to figure out.

The brunet sighed, closing his eyes. Ryohei hovered overhead, looking down at the resting teen. "Sawada, you look extremely pale," he said matter-of-factly. Tsuna opened his eyes, furrowing his brows. "I suppose...I-I'm just a little bit worried a-about Reborn. He just disappeared." More like he was worried the hitman would ambush him, or something of that variety.

Ryohei had made up his mind. Eyes alit with passionate fire, he declared with a punch to the heavens, "I will go out and find that extreme baby of yours! Wait here, Sawada!" He pulled on his sister's hand, making his swift way to the door. "Let's go, Kyoko!"

The auburnette only laughed, waving over her shoulder, "Be back later, Tsuna-kun! We'll bring something for you and Yamamoto to drink too!"

Face aflame, the brunet waved timidly back before letting his hand flop back onto the bed. On the bed next to him, Takeshi laughed, "Haha, wonder where that kid went? He really saved us back there." Tsuna only nodded, the sound of his spiky hair rubbing against the pillow being the only indication of his answer. Silence filled the room before light snores could be heard. Curious, the brunet looked over at his friend, finding the baseball star fast asleep on the bed. It was an endearing sight to behold, and the brunet smiled a bit before turning his attention back to the door. Maybe when the Sasagawas get back, he can go ho-

"Hello."

Tsuna's scream of surprise was muffled by a cold hand, and he looked up at the figure, eyes wide. They continued to grow wider as he took in the figure before him. The person standing by his bed was possibly one of the most beautiful women he had ever set his caramel eyes on. Silky rose-colored hair fell over her shoulders, and her makeup was applied so perfectly that it seemed almost natural. Her eyes were a deep shade of green that registered as familiar in the back of the dazed brunet's mind, but it was shrouded by a mysteriousness that did not let many pass through. Her full lips pulled into smile as she addressed Tsuna. "I was sent by the faculty as a replacement while the nurse is off on an errand." The nurse uniform she had on seemed to match with her words. "Is there something I can get you? Perhaps something to drink?" A slight accent marred her speech, and she certainly did not look Japanese. The alluring smile was still on her lips as she let go of Tsuna's mouth, granting him the ability to speak again.

Fireworks exploding in his head, Tsuna stammered, "U-Um, s-some water would be n-nice, i-if it's no trouble." He wanted to slap himself. She offered in the first place! He looked over at Yamamoto, seeing he was still fast asleep.

"Alright. A moment then," the woman smiled, turning around to the sink. Moments later, she returned with a styrofoam cup of water. Tsuna took it graciously, face dusted in pink. The color suddenly drained from his face, and he looked down into the water. Something was off. "W-Why is it purple?"

"Hm?" the nurse blinked, as if that was news to her.

"The water. I-It's purple." Tsuna showed her timidly, licking his lips nervously.

Chuckling, the woman explained, "Ah. I added something that would make the pain go away after a while. Go ahead. Drink up."

Giving one last hesistant glance at the liquid, Tsuna nodded, thanking her quietly before holding the cup up to his lips. The woman smiled and began to walk away. Tsuna took a tiny sip tentatively, noting that nothing seemed wrong. He allowed himself to swallow, and was about to take another drink when a sudden burning chill seized his body. What had been just a cool drink of water suddenly set his throat into a burning hell fire that seared down to his stomach. Pain burst through his abdomen, and the brunet pitched forward, hurling up the contents of his stomach. The burning seemed to double, now that it had spread to his mouth. Metallic blood clung to his mouth as more vomit came up. It felt like an eternal earthquake was assaulting Tsuna's head, and through warped vision, he saw the woman walk away. He tried to move his parched mouth to form words, but his throat would not allow sound to escape. Turning around, the woman regarded Tsuna one more time. "Hm. You must not have taken enough on the first gulp. You should be dead by now." Shrugging, she continued out the door, "Oh well. Now Reborn has to come home with me."

Her monologue barely registered to the brunet as his world began to swirl into inky darkness. Desperately, Tsuna tried to alert Yamamoto, but the teen was still fast asleep on his bed. Fighting against the burning and pain, Tsuna tried to crawl towards Takeshi, not quite sure which direction he should have gone. The bed disappeared from underneath him as he fell over the edge and onto the ground. The pain from the fall barely registered, and using the last of his strength, the brunet reached up, grabbing for Yamamoto and finding the sleeve of his school sweater. /I can't die, I can't die.../ was all that was going through his head as his vision suddenly disappeared and his consciousness disintegrated. The brunet crumbled to the ground, unmoving. But it was enough.

Takeshi felt a faint tug in his sleep, and blurrily opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the smell. A rancid odor bombarded his senses and he jolted out of his sleep, covering his nose. Amber eyes fell on the empty bed next to him, covered in bloody vomit and it only took a second for Yamamoto to realize what happened.

"Tsuna!" he cried out, throwing his covers back. All pain he felt was ignored. He found the motionless brunet on the floor, and immediately bent down to him. Tsuna did not move or utter a sound as Takeshi shook him. If not for the fact that the brunet seemed to be burning hot, Yamamoto would have thought him dead. He desperately searched for signs of life, even a small one. Ear pressed to Tsuna's chest, Yamamoto strained to hear a heartbeat.

The faintest "ba-thump" was all he needed.

Yamamoto pulled his arm out of the sling, ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder and lifted the brunet onto a clean bed. He made sure to lean him on his side in case he puked anymore. He looked around frantically for something to clean up the mess on his friend's mouth and face, grabbing some paper towels from the sink. Tsuna was barely breathing, and Yamamoto had no idea what to do. There was absolutely no one around and he could not leave the brunet in his condition to go find help. So far, he has been utterly useless to Tsuna. The brunet had helped him regain his spirit, ended his depression, and saved his god-damn life. He had no idea what was wrong with the brunet, but he was not stupid enough to think lightly of the situation. Glancing around, he found the phone. As he reached for it to dial the main office number, footsteps sounded from behind.

The Sasagawas had came back, laughing between themselves, but the uncharacteristic frown on Yamamoto's face silenced them.

"Yamamoto-kun, what's wrong?" Kyoko immediately asked. Looking confused as always, Ryohei cheered, "You look better, to the extreme! How's Sawada?" He looked towards the beds, as did Kyoko. She nearly dropped the drinks she brought when she saw Tsuna's bed, and Yamamoto immediately explained, "I don't know what happened! I woke up and Tsuna was on the floor. His vital signs," the frown only deepened, "Are weak."

Hastily, the siblings made their way to the brunet while Yamamoto started to dial the phone. He held the receiver to his ear, listening to the sound of the waiting tone. The answering machine came up, and he swore, clapping the phone back onto the table. How could no one pick up in the office? Redialing, he bit his lip and tried again.

Reborn had wandered off when he sensed Shamal nearby, not too interested in dealing with the perverted doctor. However, the presence of another did pique his interest, and he doubled back to track her down. As he turned a corner, he came face to face with the slender legs of a woman.

"Reborn!" cried a feminine voice, and the hitman followed the legs up to the familiar woman's face. "Ciaossu, Bianchi," he smirked, and immediately he was in the woman's arms.

Cradling the hitman more like a lover than a child, the woman, Bianchi, cried, "Oh, I've missed you so much, my darling! Let's go back to Italy! I've come all this way to get you!" She planted a kiss on Reborn's cheeks, and he smiled.

"I can't leave yet, Bianchi. I have a student to train."

"I already took care of the kid."

Silence. Reborn tried really hard not to sigh. "Again? Bianchi..."

"I'm sorry Reborn, but I really need you to come home with me." Bianchi pouted, holding the baby out before her.

Squirming out of her grasp, Reborn hopped back onto the ground, striding towards the nurse's office. "So he's dead?" Part of the hitman really hoped not, although he would never admit it. Tsuna was different from others he had taught before, and there was more to the boy than meets the eye. He prepared himself for disappointment until Bianchi lamented, "Unfortunately, no. He should be now, but he didn't die immediately. Hmph."

Onyx eyes lit up, and Reborn sped up ever so slightly. Finding a new student would be a pain, especially one as promising as Tsunayoshi. "Do you have an antidote?"

"Of course not, my darling."

He should have known. "I'll have to find Shamal then," the hitman replied, and Bianchi crinkled her nose. Shamal was quite possibly the most notorious man known to the women of the mafia, and it is unanimous that his womanizing ways were hated.

"Reborn, you can't just come back to our lovely Italy with me?" Bianchi asked hopefully again, but Reborn shook his head. "No. I can't leave until I bring back a candidate as the heir."

Shrugging lightly, the woman relented, "I'll be staying with you then," causing the hitman to smirk. Tsuna was not going to be pleased.

The two entered the nurse's office, which was now silent. Next to Tsuna's bed, Kyoko had her back turned to the door, expression grim and pale. She did not hear the two mafiosos come in, too fixated on watching Tsuna. Her hand clutched tightly to his, she watched over the brunet who was breathing heavily now. Bianchi raised her eyebrows, rather surprised that the brunet was still alive, let alone breathing as hard as he was. Even Reborn had to admit he was a bit surprised. The puddle of vomit told him that Bianchi did not use a light poison. She was out to kill. Whenever the female assassin had a target, that unfortunate fellow was certain to be in a morgue within 24 hours. Yet, the brunet was still struggling against her poison, wrestling it for his life.

Kyoko jumped when Reborn suddenly hopped up onto the bed, observing his student. "Hmm...he's holding up quite well, all things considered. Interesting," the baby smiled, onyx eyes wandering over to the connected hands. "And there-in lies the reason." Reborn had definitely noticed it from Ryohei, but even Kyoko had displayed a strong affinity to her inner flame. Trying to explain it now would be futile, so the hitman allowed the confusion to settle on the girl. Changing the subject, he asked, "Where are others?"

Glancing at the door with an impatient expression, Kyoko bit her lip, "When Gokudera-kun came back, he, Onii-chan, and Yamamoto-kun went to find Doctor Shamal. They asked me to stay here." Her teeth bit down harder, remembering just how distressed Gokudera was when he returned a while ago:

The silverette had finally cooled down enough to feel guilty about leaving his boss's side, so he headed back to the office. He was met with chaos, but the brunet on the bed stole all his attention. Immediately, Gokudera was at Tsuna's side, emerald eyes quivering at the sight of him. The metallic tinge in the disgusting odor of the vomit made him nauseous, and the burning red flesh of the feverish teen made Gokudera feel like he was burning up on the inside too.

He recognized the signs and the symptoms. Everything about the brunet's condition was painfully familiar, and the revelation only made the bomber even more upset.

She could not have. There was no way his sister had come to Japan. Was there...?

"What. The fuck. Were you guys doing?" Gokudera hissed viciously, glaring venomously at Yamamoto and Ryohei. They stopped short in their tasks, not dense enough to let the tense atmosphere go unnoticed. They stared mutely at Gokudera, no words coming to them.

An explosion followed. "How COULD YOU let Juudaime be POISONED by my sister?"

Takeshi's expression fell even more than it already had, and he blinked, "Your sister...why would she...?" He clutched his black hair, realizing now was not the time for questions and gritted his teeth, "She must have come in while I was asleep-"

"You fell asleep? Where were YOU?" he whirled on Ryohei, who was grimacing at this point. "If the fucking baseball moron was asleep, why didn't you keep watch on Juudaime?"

"Oi, Kyoko and I went to get drinks for us all. We thought the nurse or Shamal would come back and watch." There was no hint of his usual vigor, only serious tension in every word he spoke.

Gokudera clenched his fists to the point of them turning white, "Are you kidding me? Shamal can't even watch a shitty rock. The nurse is probably halfway to fucking Amsterdam by now to get away from that pervert. Whatever made you think that either shit would be useful?"

Narrowing his eyes, Takeshi pursed his lips, "Gokudera, we had no way of knowing what Shamal would do. We barely know him and just met him today."

"Yeah! You walked out on us all first!" Ryohei cut in, crossing his arms.

Hayato looked ready to explode a second time, but suddenly, Kyoko interrupted, "You guys! This is completely pointless." She grabbed Tsuna's hand. "Instead of arguing, we should be looking for an adult to help Tsuna-kun!" At the last word, she heard a cough, and everyone turned their attention to Tsuna. The brunet had finally showed signs of life, but all at once, it seemed like he was suffering from excruciating pain. His almost non-existent breathing suddenly intensified, coming out in raspy pants and winces. Tsuna moaned, shaking all over, and Kyoko could have sworn his temperature got hotter.

"Kyoko is extremely right! We have to go find the nurse or doctor!" the boxer roared, punching his fists forward. Nodding in agreement, the baseball star added, "I'll check the west wing. Senpai, you can check this side of the school."

"Got it! Gokudera-"

"Shut up, Turf-top. I'm not working with the likes of you. I'm going my own way to help Juudaime." With that, he tore out the door, sprinting down the halls.

It took a while for Ryohei to realize he had been insulted. He ran to the door, yelling, "What was that, Octo-head?" to an empty hallway.

"Maa Maa," Yamamoto tried to calm down his senior, face grim, "This isn't important right now. We need to help Tsuna. Let's go." Without missing a beat, he was out the door. Ryohei followed, pausing at the door momentarily, "Kyoko, watch over Sawada! I'll be back, to the extreme!" With that, he dashed off, searching for the elusive doctor.

Kyoko sighed at recounting the story, peering at the door again before turning to Reborn, "They have been gone a while. Isn't there something we can do until they come back?" Her grip tightened as Tsuna's squeezed her hand, still breathing heavily. Her frown deepened, "Gokudera-kun mentioned his sister. He said she poisoned him. Reborn-chan, do you know anything about that?"

Reborn smiled, pointing upwards. "She's right behind you actually. Kyoko, meet Bianchi. Bianchi, this is Kyoko Sasagawa." The auburnette whirled around to face the female assassin, eyes questioning. She had no idea what to say in this kind of situation, but Bianchi did.

"Hayato is so cute, always saying these things about me. Your friend is suffering from a heavy allergic reaction to something I put in his water to help his pain go away. I don't have any cure for it, unfortunately." Yes, to make the pain permanently go away. She said that last part almost mockingly, as she did not actually care much for the brunet.

Reborn smirked. That was one hell of an allergic reaction. Kyoko bit her lip, unsure of how to take it. "You didn't check his medical history?"

Shrugging, Bianchi responded, "Never said anything about it." So far, she really had not told a single lie, though the truth was definitely exaggerated. She knelt down next to the auburnette, rose locks of hair falling over her shoulder, "You care very much for this boy don't you?"

Pink dusting her cheeks, the girl allowed a small smile to cross her lips, "He's a good friend, yes..."

Bianchi stood back up, smiling. "Love. It performs miracles." She gazed down at the clasped hands, sighing. Killing the brunet now would go against her own life ideology, would it not? Looks like she was here to stay.

The trio waited for the boys to return with Shamal, but the search proved more difficult than expected. Ryohei ran through the halls at breakneck speed, peering into each classroom he passed. There were no teachers or students in the halls anymore, and the boxer was becoming frustrated. Yamamoto was not faring any better, as his end of the school was practically empty. It occurred to him that maybe he should call the hospital and get Tsuna transported there, but he lacked a phone. Turning around, he headed towards the teachers' lounge.

All the rage and anger within Gokudera had transformed into disappointment and guilt by now. He had no right to blame the others, much as he would have liked to. He had run out on his boss, he had allowed him to be poisoned, and he had left him unsupervised. "Damn it!" he cursed, pounding a fist on the wall. It was his fault; if he wanted things done right in the first place, he should have done it himself. Shamal had driven the silverette to make that poor choice, and begrudgingly, Hayato realized only Shamal could help Tsuna. There was only one place the womanizing pervert would go. The bomber picked up his pace, heading towards the teachers' lounge. He slammed open the door, seeing he had been right. A few of the younger female teachers were being harassed by the doctor, who was shamelessly flirting. Eye twitching, Gokudera stormed over, grabbing Shamal by the collar. "Bastard, you're coming with me."

The doctor refused to budge, whining, "Aww why? There are such lovely ladies here!" Hayato was not buying that pout.

"You're going to heal Juudaime. He's been poisoned by my fucking sister."

Shamal was about to complain again, but stopped short. "Wait...what did you say?"

"You're going to heal Ju-"

"No after that." Shamal pouted, and Gokudera resisted the urge to whip out his bombs. Dealing with Shamal was easy enough if you exploited his one track mind.

"My sister poisoned him while you were fucking gone." He let go of the doctor, knowing what was coming next.

Running a hand through his hair, the man told the teachers, "Sorry ladies. Another love beckons me." He swept out the door, heading back towards the nurse's office. Gokudera heatedly followed, bumping into Yamamoto on the way out.

"Gokudera!" the baseball star blinked before being shoved roughly off to the side.

"Tch. You're in my way."

"Was that the doctor just now?" He watched as Hayato ran after Shamal, not bothering to answer. Sighing, Takeshi followed, and was back at the office shortly.

Gokudera was standing at the door, looking paler than usual and oddly shaking. Yamamoto stopped short, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Glancing quickly into the room and grimacing, Gokudera grinded his teeth, "My sister...she's inside."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the baseball star laughed, running a hand through his hair, "Haha, you hate her that much?"

"It's...it's not that..." the silverette looked away, squeezing his eyes shut. "Ugh! Listen here, baseball idiot!" Emerald eyes reopened, and he pointed a finger, "Much as I hate it, you need to be my eyes. Tell me what's happening. I can't leave Juudaime in there with her!"

Takeshi pondered the expression Hayato wore. A mixture of anger, hesitation and apprehension crossed the bomber's face, and the baseball star could not help but find it funny. As his arms were still outside of the sling, he cupped both his hands over the silverette's eyes and chirped, "Alright! Don't peek now!"

Gokudera elbowed the teen in his gut, smirking at the grunt that he let out. "Don't talk like you're some girly moron."

The two entered the office, where Ryohei was vehemently yelling, "HEAL HIM, DR. SHAMAL! PLEASE, TO THE EXTREME?" He had both fists in front of his face, passionately yelling at the unamused doctor.

"I told you I don't heal men." A sigh was heard. "I only came for Bianchi." Shamal's tone turned sing-songy at the end, and a loud smack and yell followed. A suspicious sizzling noise caused Gokudera to stiffen, and his blood ran cold as he heard the suave voice of his sister, "You never change, Shamal. Get up and heal the boy. You're lucky I haven't been able to create a poison to melt that mask of yours."

"So cruel, Bianchi," Shamal's voice sounded muffled. Gokudera gritted his teeth before shouting, "Bianchi! Damn you!"

The room fell silently, and the bomber knew they were taking in the odd sight of Yamamoto covering his eyes. "Oh Hayato! I finally found you!" she paused, and amusement seeped into her voice, "Still shy around women? Hayato, you're so cute, having a friend cover your eyes."

"Don't give me your shit. How dare you hurt Juudaime?" he roared, tearing Yamamoto's hands from his face. He glared viciously at the floor, unwilling to look anywhere else. Tsuna's labored breathing hurt his ears to hear, and the bomber continued, "I'm not going back to Italy. Don't think this will make me go back."

Remaining impasse, Bianchi replied, "Selfish, as usual." Gokudera hissed at her pause, but the woman continued, "You're only my second priority. I came to Japan for love. I came for my Reborn."

Gokudera hissed, "So why did you do it?" He was quite unaware that everyone else was watching their conversation intently. Kyoko seemed doubtful again, and the boys seemed confused.

Sighing, Bianchi lazily flipped her hair behind her shoulders. "If it makes any difference, I'm trying to reverse the effects now."

Shocked, Hayato forgot about his fear and looked at his sister, gasping, "What?" Immediately, he regretted it as his stomach twisted, gurgling. He blanched, falling to his knees as he collapsed on his side. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to contain the pain in his stomach. The other teens yelped in concern, and Takeshi knelt down, "Hey, Gokudera, are you ok? What happened?" He tried to soothe the bomber by rubbing circles on his back. Everyone was shocked to see Hayato floored like that.

Cringing, the silverette muttered, "Can't...look at my sister. Stomach hurts every time." Boy, did he have a story behind that; he had other matters to deal with first though.

"Oh Hayato," Bianchi sighed, acting like this was normal. Actually, it probably was. "As for your other question," she knelt down to her brother, "Everything I do is for love. I suppose if he means this much to everyone, I'll help. Love conquers all." She spoke matter-of-factly,

Standing up, she walked over to Shamal. A purple cake with unidentified objects protruding from it was splattered all over his face. The cream was actually bubbling and sizzling. Kicking him, the woman ordered. "Stop laying there. Get up."

A muffled sigh came from Shamal, and he carefully reached at his face, peeling away a thin membrane from his skin. The cake peeled off with it, leaving his face flawless and protected. Everyone seemed so confused about what was happening.

"I actually want to poison him. It's a pity he won't stay down," Bianchi sighed, crossing her arms. Shamal pouted, standing up and brushing his coat. "I don't heal men," he repeated, "I will not see to him. It's a waste of my time."

"Yes you will." Bianchi pointed at Tsuna, green eyes flashing. "Heal the brat."

"I don't change my policy. No exceptions," the doctor turned to leave, hands stuck into his pockets.

Bianchi looked at everyone else in the room again. She had no intention of trying any harder before she saw the look in Reborn's eyes. The baby glanced over at Kyoko, who was looking at Bianchi intently. The two females exchanges glances, and the assassin understood. Closing her eyes, the woman sighed, "Shamal, heal him and I'll kiss you."

Shamal was back in an instant, hands pulling a syringe out of his pocket. "It will be just a second. Step back, young lady. You've done quite well keeping him alive until now." He flashed a coy smile at Kyoko, startling her at his sudden change.

The auburnette blinked, letting go of Tsuna's hand. Reborn looked up at the doctor, "So you noticed?"

With a scoff, the doctor plunged the needle into the brunet's arm, injecting its contents into his bloodstream. "Of course. Underestimating my abilities like that hurts, Reborn." He pulled out the needle, capping it.

The response was instantaneous.

Tsuna's breathing began to smooth out, and his contorted expression loosened, relaxing back into a mask of peace. His flush gradually dissipated, and when Kyoko grabbed his hand again, she felt his temperature considerably lower. A relieved smile spread across her face, and she looked up at Shamal. "How did you do that?"

The doctor smiled, running a hand through his hair, "Well, there goes one of my precious antidotes. Nothing else would have worked with his condition, I can tell you that." Lecherous eyes shifted over to Bianchi, "But anything to get a kiss from-"

Bianchi slammed a small cake into Shamal's face, aiming for his lips, which sent him flying into the bedside table. Everyone jumped, and Gokudera let out a small groan. Hearing the squishing sounds of the grotesque confectionary only exacerbated his stomach ache. Bianchi sat down casually, crossing her legs.

"Your Poison Kiss, Bianchi? That's a cruel twist of words," Reborn smirked. [1]

"I don't like to lie," [2] The woman smiled. Despite relief to hear that Tsuna's condition had improved, Gokudera cracked open his eyes, retorting at his sister, "That's a lie in itself."

Blinking, his sister knelt down by his side, looking straight into his shocked eyes. "Oh Hayato...why are you always like this to me?" Upon looking at her face, Gokudera's stomach grumbled again. He rolled onto his other side, closing his eyes again, groaning loudly. Reborn smirked from his perch, knowing that Bianchi was no as oblivious as she appeared.

Straightening herself, the female assassin turned to the baby hitman. "I'm going to get my things, my darling. We'll be together soon." She started to head out, but Reborn called out, "Bianchi."

She turned around, smiling, "Yes, my love?"

The baby hitman glanced at the ground, where Gokudera laid as Yamamoto comforted him. "Japan is the land where the sun rises. You should go get yourself some sunglasses."

Bianchi batted her eyelashes just once, the corner of her lips tugging up. "I'll be sure to do that." Without another word, the striking woman walked out, leaving peace in her stead.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry for the shorter chapter! Really, I am! I wanted to get this out, since it's been so long. : I also hope the awkwardly-transitioned flashback in the middle wasn't too confusing to understand.**

**Notes:**

**[1] The Poison Kiss doesn't exist. It's a lame attack I made up to make the story work. Basically, she just aims a "chocolate" cake at the target's mouth. Not that you'll be able to I apologize for my extreme lameness.~**

**[2] I'm also aware Bianchi does lie. (As with the time she tricked Tsuna, making him think Kyoko had run away.) I just think it'd make her more interesting if she always exaggerated the truth or told half-truths instead of lying. **

**As usual, here are responses to reviews:**

**TotalAmuto: Wahaha oh yes he did. Hope I didn't disappoint with Hibari's part.~**

**Erzazel: Aw thank you! And…you're welcome, haha? Just looking for a way to get these ideas out of my head. I totally agree with you on the Gokudera thing. Seriously, he warmed up too quickly. **

**Jasmin Liertha: Oh good! I really wanted to mix canon with realism, so I'm glad you think I did decent on it, and that the flow is good! :D I'm also glad someone finally clarified that their crying was not a BAD thing… ;u; As for the 1827 bit…since you asked. :'D It won't be for a reallllly long time though, but I got something. Definitely got something good. I think I might put a ton of 27xALL, just because that makes things more fun. ;D **

**ZukiMomo: MUAHAHA 8059. YES. 3 And I have some 1827 planned in the far future, but there's going to be so much of it. OuO**

**Kanrei: I'll try, I'll try, I'll really try!**

**Dashusi4ka: Just for you, next chapter he will wear black underwear. :'D **

**: KDSHAGFKHDSA0HK OMG I THINK I DIED A LITTLE WHEN I SAW YOUR REVIEW. I follow your "Their Boss" story to death. I'm such a huge fan. I feel really bad for never reviewing, but I've been carefully rereading your story so I can refresh my memory and fully review it. I honestly all the family interaction in it just makes me die of happiness. ;u; Thank you for your review, and I'll definitely try and update faster! Wahhhhh…**

**yokainomiko: Honestly, if anyone's review (other than Chu's) got me working on this again, it was yours. I loved the whole thing, and it thrills me that you understand EXACTLY what I wanted to portray. OuO Especially after the recent chapters, I can't stand Iemitsu, which is why I aim to make him (as well as other characters I can't stand) as good as possible. I have more planned for the interpretations of his actions, but you basically hit the nail on the head! **

**I agree on the point that Iemitsu's behavior is outrageous. Yes, I knew from the start that he was trying to teach his son something, (strengthen his resolve as a boss maybe?) but the way he goes about doing it is, as you said, inexcusable. He is never around, and suddenly puts his son in life-or-death situations for the "fun" of it? Terrible parenting 101, even if it's some kinda "tough love" scenario. **

**I find it fascinating that you like the Hana bit. As for Kyoko's crush, it will be sorta revealed in time. :D **

**Oh man, everyone loves 1827. I don't actually completely understand the love behind that pairing, but since it's so popular, I do have a scene much later in the story that I have planned that would work really nicely with this pairing! Of course, I intend Tsuna to end up with Kyoko, but that doesn't stop me from causing mayhem with his emotions, yes? Yes. My friend told me tossing straight and yaoi pairings into the same fic would be strange, and I kinda agree, but my loyalties are very split. Haha.**

**My exams did go well, thank you for the good luck wish! **

**Qqsha: Glad you're liking it! And I don't like Tsuna's dad either. I don't remember if I mentioned that in any of my notes though.**


	7. Kids Do the Darnest Things

_**As usual, replies to reviews are at the bottom Author's Note!**_

**I originally intended for this be the date chapter, but when I started writing it, it got waaayyyy too long, so I had to cut it off halfway. The actual 27K "date" will be next chapter. **

**I managed to cram in a slight 1827 moment for all y'all fangirls out there. Just slight, as to not make it seem forced, hehe). Sorry I didn't do some kind of funny Valentine's Day special or anything like that, but I didn't develop the characters enough so far to have interactions on an intimate level. :/ Maybe next Valentine's? (If I'm still writing, that is. And I mean like…assuming the story isn't finished. I really hope I can finish this one! D: )**

**Last Chapter: Hibari arrived, ready to dish out punishment, but was confronted by Tsuna's friends. Reborn managed to quell the prefect's bloodthirst and sent him away with a promise of a battle another day. The injured parties were taken to the nurse's office where they met the infamous Dr. Shamal, a mafia doctor who had terrible womanizing habits. Everyone ended up leaving the office, allowing Tsuna and Yamamoto to rest, but without any supervision. Because of this, Gokudera's sister, Bianchi, sneaked into the office and poisoned an unknowing Tsuna in order to give Reborn a reason to leave Japan. A race to save the brunet's life began, and after tensions bubbled between the teens and a change of heart from Bianchi, the group cooperated to convince Dr. Shamal to heal Tsuna, despite the doctor's strict policy of female-only patients. With Tsuna's life no longer at risk, Bianchi departs to pack her belongings in preparation of moving to the Sawada residence to be closer to Reborn.**

**Let's hope that Nana Sawada is the sole chef of the house. **

**Warnings: Wow...nothing to really warn about this time.**

**Disclaimer: KHR does not belong to me, but Amano Akira. I'd say more wonderful things about her, but no one knows anything about her, so I'll just leave it at that.**

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><p><em>Chapter 7: Kids Do the Darnest Things<em>

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><p>"Ryohei, Kyoko. I would like you to join Tsuna's family."<p>

Even though he was noxious and lethargic, that question alone made Gokudera shoot right up, and he stared at Reborn in disbelief. The Sasagawas gazed at the baby in confusion.

"Family? What do you mean?" Kyoko asked, turning to Yamamoto as he laughed.

"Haha! It's a game the kid started. Some kind of mafia role play with Tsuna as the boss. Gokudera insists on being the right-hand man, so I guess I'm the left-hand man, hahaha!" The baseball star started to wrap his arm back in the sling now that all the excitement was over. Kyoko frowned, touching the athlete's arm in concern.

Fumbling, the silverette pushed himself up with a growl, "First of all, I apologize Reborn-san, but I had allowed this baseball idiot to join, and letting the Turf-Top join is just crossing the line." His gaze averted to Yamamoto, "And second of all, there's no such thing as a left-hand man, and don't think even think about taking my spot as the right-hand man!" The bomber pointed an accusatory finger at the baseball star, who was laughing merrily.

"Ah, Gokudera! It's just a game right? Let's just make a left-hand man for the fun of it."

"No way, moron!"

Meanwhile, Ryohei realized he had been insulted, and immediately went on the defensive. "What was that, Octopus-Head?" He raised his fist with his teeth gritted, and Gokudera responded by getting haughtily to his feet.

Before a confrontation could break out, Kyoko tapped her brother's shoulder, scolding, "Onii-chan. Don't fight. I thought I already told you. Besides," she turned to Reborn, clasping her fingers together, "This sounds really interesting! Onii-chan and I would love to join!"

"Excellent!" The baby hopped off the bed, "Glad to hear it. With that settled," he flashed a warning glance at Gokudera, who looked ready to object again, "Let's go home then. Someone will need to carry Tsuna. He won't be waking up for a while longer. It's disappointing." Reborn paused, toddling towards the door. "We won't have time for homework tonight."

Vehement insistence resulted in Gokudera carrying his precious boss home, but not before Kyoko reminded the group to put some clothes on the half-naked brunet. The group got to the Sawada residence with no more problems, except when they got to the door. No one knew where Tsuna kept his key, but luckily, Nana was already home. She fussed over her unconscious son, and finally relented when the group insisted he had simply fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Nana Sawada had come home with an ungodly amount of food that she had cooked at the restaurant, so she extended an invitation to the group for dinner, quite overjoyed that Tsuna had so many friends over. The teens all accepted the invitation graciously as they wanted to be around when the brunet woke up.

Not too long after they got there, the doorbell rang, sending an odd ominous chill through the atmosphere. Reborn smiled, hopping off his seat and heading to the door.

"Ciaossu, Bianchi." Squeals could be heard from the hall, no doubt from a Bianchi joyfully hugging her hitman lover. Gokudera paled considerably, and suddenly his mug became the most interesting thing in the room, captivating his intense glare. Nana blinked as the beautiful assassin came to the kitchen threshold, sleek black suitcase in hand.

Bianchi smiled, bowing, "Good day, Mrs. Sawada. I'm sorry for intruding. My name is Bianchi. Pleasure to meet you."

"Oh!" the cook giggled, "Not at all! Are you a friend of Reborn's?" she asked, eying the baby being cradled in Bianchi's arms.

Said baby only smiled, quick to reply before his lover could, "She's a very important person to me. Mama, would it be possible for her to stay here? She will help out around the house, of course."

Nodding with a smile, the rose-haired woman offered, "I can cook-"

"No way in hell!" Gokudera suddenly screamed, looking up in frenzied fury. His stomach flipped when he realized what he did, but...

Nothing happened.

The silverette blinked, staring at his sister's face. She had a pair of stylish red-tinted shades, covering a pair of green eyes staring straight back at her brother. The eye contact was made. He was clearly gawking at her face. But there were no stomach aches. No pain. No churning or bowels threatening to explode. Nothing.

"Oh Hayato!" Bianchi gasped, taking off her shades, revealing glittering green eyes, "You are finally able to look at your sister!"

With that, the silverette collapsed into a twitching lump on the ground, moaning in pain. Yamamoto yelped in surprise, at the bomber's side in a moment. The Sasagawas joined them, and Nana fluttered nervously, as she did not know of Gokudera's unusual phobia. Bianchi blinked, holding her shades up casually. Reborn's ears perked at that moment, and he smirked as he heard padded footsteps behind.

"H-Hey, what's going on?" Tsuna's wary voice drifted into the kitchen. He felt absolutely awful, like he had just come back from the dead. He felt noxious and his muscles ached, not to mention the massive head ache that bombarded his brain. Only bits and pieces of that afternoon's events were registering in his cloudy mind, and at the sight of luscious rose-colored locks, he could not shake the ominous feeling that engulfed him. Warning signs set off immediately, the brunet struggled to remember that distant memory.

Bianchi turned around, peering at Tsuna in surprise. "Oh. You woke up sooner than I expected."

And like that, every memory broke through his foggy mind. The poison, the pain, the suffering. The stunning face struck an icy chill into his core, and the teen frozen.

Then, Tsuna did what he did best.

"HIIIIIIIEEEEEE?"

It took about ten minutes to calm the brunet down, and the episode only left his mother more confused than ever. His fears were exacerbated when Nana announced that Bianchi would be staying with them as a guest, a decision that Gokudera vehemently tried to protest, only to fall prey to his stomach pains once again when he looked at his sister. Reborn convinced her to keep her shades on, claiming it was a medical condition that required her to keep her shades on most of the time. Only then was Hayato able to endure his sister's suffocating presence.

A tense dinner followed, where no one really talked. Everyone simply stared at Bianchi, who seemed perfectly normal as she ate. The Sasagawas were convinced the incident earlier was an accident, so it was easier for them to break the ice and strike up conversation with the gorgeous woman. Takeshi and Hayato remained suspicious, although the baseball star did not show it on his face.

"Bianchi is known as the Poison Scorpion in the mafia world. Her ability, Poison Cooking, activates through simple touch. She is capable of making anything into poison of varying levels of fatality, although it works best with her cooking. She is one of the top assassins of the Vongola family," Reborn explained once the group returned to the brunet's room. Tsuna and Gokudera kept their distance from Bianchi as Reborn spoke, and the brunet shivered as his now lucid memories haunted him.

The female assassin blushed, happily cooing, "Oh Reborn, you think too highly of me!"

"It's true. Frankly, I'm surprised that Tsuna survived. That phenomenon, however, is a topic to be discussed another day," the hitman continued, smirking as Tsuna paled. Kyoko and Ryohei had matching frowns as they listened, growing suspicious of Bianchi once again.

Bianchi noticed this, and smiled, "Something like that won't happen again. Don't worry." She directed her words more to Kyoko than anyone else.

"Yeah right," her brother muttered, scooting so he was slightly in front of Tsuna, a small display of protection.

Reborn looked up with a smile, "Oh yes. I forgot to mention. I invited Ryohei and Kyoko into the family as well, and they graciously accepted. Good job Tsuna. You have gained more family members."

The brunet's mouth dropped open, and he sputtered, "W-Wha-REBORN!"

It was no wonder the brunet could not sleep that night. A woman who had only attempted to take his life mere hours before was sleeping just down the hall, and now he had the responsibility of the Sasagawa siblings on his hands. He pulled the pillow over his head, face contorting, trying to contain the feelings of turmoil and fear within him. He drifted off to a restless sleep, waking up every hour to nightmares he would rather not recall.

School happened just as normal the next day. Hibari had taken to lurking around the front gates, scrutinizing the brunet and his posse as they approached the school. Tsuna withered under the fierce glare, and more than once, Gokudera sent the prefect dirty looks of his own. "Don't worry, Juudaime. He's just looking for Reborn." To that, Tsuna would just nod. Kyoko greeted him joyfully, and even other classmates seemed to warm up to the brunet. Mochida kept his distance and there was distinct lack of malice in his glares now.

Finally, it was Saturday, and Tsuna was eager for a break from school the next day. He had gotten used to Bianchi's presence in the house, and even though he was wary about his food with her around. Thoughts of his d-date with Kyoko the next day filled his mind, and he went off to school with a spring in his step. His aches were gone, his bruises and wounds had mysteriously healed a great deal; his black eye was gone, and most cuts had closed up by now. He vaguely wondered if the poison had some kind of healing property to it, absurd as the thought was.

As usual, Gokudera and Yamamoto were waiting for their boss at the intersection, and the three began to head to school. Yamamoto was babbling about some new baseball game, which Gokudera ignored as best as he could. Laughing, the baseball star chirped, "Hey hey, wanna come over after school and play to celebrate my sling coming off? I have enough controllers for all three of us, haha!" He waved his arm around happily as to show off.[1]

Before either companion could reply, something short crashed into Tsuna, nearly causing him to lose his balance. He yelped when he felt an arm wrap around his waist. A small boy could be seen in his peripheral vision, and the child was quick to take refuge behind the brunet. A mop of light brown hair obscured large sienna eyes filled with fear. It looked like the boy was trying to shrink into the thick wool scarf encircling his neck, and he was clutching a giant carmine book tightly to his chest. Tsuna barely registered the situation when two men in black suits ran up to them.

"Hey! Get back here, Ranking Futa!" one of them yelled, heading directly up to the teenagers. Yamamoto and Gokudera were immediately on guard as Tsuna backed away in fear.

Tsuna whipped around, facing the terrified boy behind him. "W-What is going on? Who are you? W-Who are these people?" He cast a quick and wary glance at the men in suits, who were facing against Takeshi and Hayato.

"My name is Futa. Protect me from these people, please, Tsuna-nii!" the boy begged. Tsuna was immediately taken aback, as he had no idea how they boy knew his name.

"W-What-?"

"Brats, out of the way! Ranking Futa is ours!" one of the men shouted, brandishing a dagger. The other did exactly the same, menacingly advancing on the teens.

Gokudera whipped out a cigarette, lighting it with flourish. "Tch. Pieces of shit. Juudaime!" he called to the figure behind him, "Get out of here. I'll handle things here." He withdrew a few sticks of dynamite, preparing to ignite them.

Yamamoto glanced around, spotting a pile of small wooden beams off to the side of the street. He immediately ran to grab one, spinning it around in his hand to get a feel for it. "Interesting. This is part of the game, right?" he smiled, eyes narrowing in concentration.

Tsuna felt a strange feeling wash over him, and somehow knew his friends would be alright. Acting on instinct, he grabbed Futa's little hand and ran towards the school, where hopefully those men would not approach. Seeing their target escape, the men tried to break through Gokudera and Yamamoto, but were forced back by an explosion and a well-aimed swing of a wooden beam.

"Hurricane Bomb Hayato? What's a brat like you doing here in Japan?" a man spat, holding his dagger out again. "Don't recognize the other one though. Get out of our way."

Hayato lit up another round of explosives, snarling, "Like I'll let you get to Juudaime!"

"Right. We gotta protect Tsuna, haha!" Takeshi grinned, readying for another attack.

"Don't waste your time," the other man sighed, reaching into his pocket. Quick as lightning, the air seem to explode in black. The teens started to cough, having not expected a smoke bomb to be deployed. Running footsteps pounded past before fading behind them, and the two teenagers wasted no time in giving chase.

Tsuna was tugging the boy along, trying to prevent the kid from tripping, ironic of a concept as that was. Just a block from the school however, a flying dagger flew past the couple, shocking them into a stop. The men had somehow caught up, and Tsuna's heart flew to his throat. Where were Gokudera and Yamamoto? Had something happen to them? Did they lose? The brunet took a step back, unconsciously shielding Futa as he retreated. The men charged forward, daggers brandished. Tsuna panicked, caramel eyes widening as the glinting blade neared. He never even wanted to get invol-

Another flash of metal flashed before his eyes before black covered his vision. Two grunts of pain could be heard, and the daggers clattered to the ground. The black settled, revealing itself to be a sleek school blazer. The tell-tale shimmer of the golden Disciplinary Committee armband made Tsuna's heart skip a beat. He looked up at the figure before him, coming face-to-face with Kyoya Hibari's emotionless mask. "H-Hibari-san?" he stammered in shock. Ignoring the brunet, Hibari flicked his tonfas clean of blood before stowing them back inside his coat. Without another word, the prefect brushed past Tsuna, heading back towards the school.[2]

"A-Ah," Tsuna turned around, calling out timidly, "T-Thanks!" His face flushed red when the prefect turned around.

"Tell the infant I'm still waiting," Kyoya simply said before stalking off. The brunet flinched, breathing out a sigh of relief.

Hayato and Yamamoto had finally caught up, with the former apologizing profusely for letting the men escape past their guard. The latter gazed thoughtfully at the unconscious and wounded pursuers, "Wow, you did this, Tsuna?"

"H-Hibari-san did, a-actually."

Emeralds and ambers blinked in surprise. A disbelieving scoff and laugh followed by their respective owners before everyone's attention fixed on the small boy who had started the whole ordeal.

"Alright, talk. What was that all about?" Gokudera hissed, glaring down at the boy. Futa barely showed any sign of intimidation, a sweet smile lighting up his face instead.

"Thank you for saving me! You see, a lot of people are after me. My name is Futa."

Blinking, the silverette's mouth opened, and his cigarette fell to the ground. "Eh? Futa? As in Ranking Futa?" In the heat of the moment, he totally had missed that little detail in the men's dialogue. The boy nodded timidly.

"Makes sense then. But why did you come to Japan?" Hayato's attitude had completely turned, and he was speaking quite civilly to the child. Yamamoto and Tsuna were left with question marks hanging over their heads.

"There are currently more than three groups after me. I wanted protection, but Nono has his hands tied up with other matters, so I did not want to trouble him. I trusted no one else for my protection. My rankings told me that a Tsunayoshi Sawada in the town of Namimori, Japan, is the person who is most unable to refuse a request and also the one who is least likely to betray someone." Futa smiled up at a bewildered Tsuna, who pointed at himself in disbelief.

Proudly puffing out his chest, Gokudera boasted, "Of course! That's our Juudaime for you!"

"But his physical rankings are at the bottom of the list…" Futa mused, cracking open the giant tome of his. Gokudera deflated, eye betraying annoyance in their emerald depths. "I knew I would be safe here though, because Nono had told me that Reborn coincidentally training Tsuna-nii. I really wouldn't come all the way to Japan if I wasn't sure it was worth my time." The child spoke so eloquently that it did not even seem like he was truly the age he appeared. He started to flip through his book, but the bell began to chime in the background, and immediately, Tsuna began to panic.

"We need to go! School is starting already!" he glanced nervously at the boy, whose brown eyes were glimmering hopefully, "I-I suppose we can…h-have someone in the office take care of y-you…while we're in class…" The brunet ran a hand through his messy locks, looking down at the child.

Nodding happily, Futa chirped, "That's fine! I'll wait for you until school is over then, Tsuna-nii!"

There was honestly so much Tsuna wanted to ask, but he knew that school came first. Or rather, not being destroyed by Hibari for being tardy was the most important thing. Luckily for the trio, they got formal excusals from the office secretary, who seemed to accept the situation. They left Futa at the office, where he immediately cracked open a book that was on the table next to him.

When lunch came, the trio and the Sasagawa siblings went to pick up Futa. Tsuna vaguely explained the situation to a confused Kyoko and Ryohei, "This is Futa. He's a cousin who is visiting. He's…" Wait, was Futa even part of the mafia? It seemed like he knew enough about it…"He's a-also playing the game with us," he finished lamely, rubbing his neck.

Futa gazed questioningly at the brunet, but said nothing. Instead he beamed brightly at the Sasagawas. "It's nice to meet you!"

The group went outside to find a place to talk, and Futa immediately chose a spot under a large oak tree. He plopped down, cracking his giant book open. The others seated themselves, peering at the boy with interest. Ryohei cleared his throat, "So, what is-"

"Allow me to explain," Futa smiled, and the boxer closed his mouth. "My full name is Futa de la Stella. I'm known as Ranking Futa, though, because I have the ability to rank a great number of individuals in any category. I communicate with cosmic forces to get the most accurate rankings in the world. I have never been wrong in my life!" he chirped proudly, "But I have to write rankings I find down in my book, otherwise I'll forget it right away." Everyone seemed bewildered, especially Ryohei, who seemed confused out of his mind.

Kyoko smiled, tapping her brother, "He basically says he can put people in the order of being the best to being the worst at something. Then he writes it down. Like a list." Ryohei nodded, understanding.

Futa opened up his book, gazing over the contents, "Are there any rankings you're interested in? I can't perform a ranking ritual right now, since…it's really obvious when I do. I'm still hiding from the guys after me." He peered cutely over the top of the book, eyes twinkling at Ryohei. "Did you want to hear one, Ryohei Sasagawa?"

"OOHHH!" the boxer roared, pumping a fist in the air. "Extreme boxing ranking!" he shouted to the heavens. Futa nodded, flipping a few pages. His eyebrows furrowed, "Erm, I don't have a ranking specifically for boxing. Would one of hand-to-hand combat work?" Ryohei nodded vigorously, and Futa smiled, "Ryohei-nii is ranked 303 out of 51,968 people for strongest in hand-to-hand combat in the mafia."[3]

Crossing his arms, Ryohei grunted thoughtfully, coming to the conclusion, "That's extremely bad. Not extreme enough! I can, and will do better! Watch me!" He roared to the sky, "To the extreme first place!" With that, the boxer hopped to his feet, dashing off to the gym, leaving the other teens with sweat drops rolling down their cheeks.

Gokudera rolled his eyes, pulling out a cigarette. Before he could light it, Yamamoto plucked it from his hand, sly grin on his face. "Come on, Gokudera! These cancer sticks are so bad for you, haha."

"The hell, you baseball moron? Give that back!" the silverette growled, grabbing for his cigarette. Yamamoto pulled back, dangling the white stick out of the bomber's grasp with a laugh.

Before an explosion could occur, both literally and figuratively, Tsuna cut in, "F-Futa, do you think y-you can give a ranking of…uh…" He actually had not given it any thought.

While he deliberated, Kyoko giggled, "I want to know which shop has the best cake in Namimori!"

The boys suddenly stopped, all turning to look at Kyoko. Tsuna blushed, silently in awe at how cute Kyoko was. Noticing the stares, the auburnette jumped slightly, waving her hands, "J-Just curious!" She laughed nervously, clasping her hands together.

Futa was already thoughtfully gazing at his book, commenting, "Again, I don't have rankings of something that specific, but I did make a list of great places to eat before I came here. Let me see…" He trailed his finger down the list, landing on item 13 on the list. "There's a little shop downtown called Parfait. It's a general dessert shop, but the best in town. The cakes should be really good."

"Ah! I heard of that place. Tsuna-kun, let's go there tomorrow!" she laughed, and Tsuna could only nod timidly, pink dusting of his smiling cheeks.

Futa closed his book, humming to himself. "That's just basically what I can do. These rankings are sought after by many others, so I'm always on the run, but I've never had so many groups going after me. That's why I'm asking for your protection, Tsuna-nii!"

There was no way Tsuna could refuse those large sienna eyes. That, and Futa was dead-on right that the brunet was unable to turn down a request. "O-Ok. I-I'll try my b-best…?" How would he actually protect a little boy against so much danger?

"I will help you, Juudaime!"

"Haha, count me in Tsuna!"

"Futa-chan, I'll join in!"

Just then, the bell chimed, and Tsuna looked away from his friends, feeling warmth spreading throughout him. Then he remembered that he had gym class.

Well damn.

After a few grueling hours, the bell signaled the end of the school day, and the friends all met up again. Tsuna was rubbing a new bump on his head that he had gotten in gym; Yamamoto was inviting the Sasagawas to his house as well. After mutual agreement (although Gokudera did seem reluctant), the group set off for Takesushi with Futa toddling along, hugging his book tightly to himself again. Ryohei and Yamamoto were chatted excitedly about sports, the former trying to get the latter to join the boxing club, while Gokudera hung in the back of the group, smoking his cigarette. Tsuna and Kyoko were sandwiched in the middle. Not long after, however, Futa suddenly stopped, blinking. Instantly, he darted forward, screaming, "Run!"

Gokudera and Ryohei tensed, yanking Tsuna and Kyoko forward. Where those two had been standing a moment before had suddenly exploded, whipping up a cloud of dust. Something shot out of the dust, barreling right into Tsuna. The brunet flew back, crashing into a wall with a pained gasp, crumbling to the ground. The attacker shot back into the dust cloud immediately.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera cried out, and was about to dash to his beloved boss when he found himself being flung off to the side. He careened into the ground, rolling to stop himself from skidding. The coarse ground scraped up his arms, and the bomber hissed.

Takeshi was running towards his friends when he lost control of his body, crashing into Ryohei. The two landed in a heap on the ground, but the boxer immediately got back to his feet, as he heard his sister scream. The auburnette was suspended in the air, flailing slightly. Tsuna shook the stars from his head when he heard the scream, gasping, "K-Kyoko-chan!" He stumbled to his feet, gasping at the sight of his companions. "Everyone!"

A sharp laugh cut through the panic of the moment, loud and boisterous. "Wahahaha! The Great Lambo-san of the Bovino cannot be defeated!"

Another voice, much higher in pitch, began to speak in what sounded like Madarin Chinese. The loud voice replied, "Beh, I was still better!"

Two short shadows could be seen through the thick cloud, and the fallen teens were gawking at the figures before them. Both looked like young children, even younger than Futa, although their attire was awfully strange.

Haughtily, one of the perpetrators stepped out, running a finger arrogantly along the bottom of his flat nose. A round face and sparkling green eyes were framed by an unbelievable mess of black curls. The child wore a ridiculous cow-printed oversuit, not unlike one that a baby would wear, even though he seemed a little too old to pass for a toddler. He looked something akin to a cow with an afro, and the obnoxious laugh did not improve his image any.

The other child was a short girl with a heart-shaped face and gracefully curved, thin eyes. Her hair was pulled into a short braid that swung to and fro. She had on a traditional Chinese martial artist uniform, red shirt complementing loose black pants. She tightened her white belt, stepping forward slightly, flat white shoes clacking on the ground. She spoke Madarin again, to which the cow child pulled a face. He returned the words in her language this time, leaving everyone confused. [4]

Hayato scoffed, getting angrily to his feet. "The Bovino? You're joking right? Nothing is great about that shitty pile of manure."

"What was that, you jerk?" The boy screamed, glaring daggers at the silverette. Suddenly, the boy stuck his hand into his afro, withdrawing a few pink objects. The teens realized they were grenades the moment he pulled the pins from them and tossed the bombs at the group again. Everyone scattered to avoid the explosives, getting out just in the nick of time. Kyoko cried out in alarm, although the grenades missed her. Tsuna gazed desperately up at her, trying to figure out a way to reach her. At that moment, the auburnette suddenly dropped, a scream trailing from her throat.

Ryohei dived, catching his sister before she landed, cradling her close to his chest. Both were breathing raggedly, trying to get over the shock of the moment. The brunet felt relieved only momentarily before he felt the unknown force send him sprawling again. This time, Gokudera caught his boss, and they both crashed headlong into a group of trash cans.

Yamamoto got ready to fight when the girl suddenly dashed forward, but to his surprise, she only agilely leapt over his head. Instead, she dashed toward her true target.

"Futa!" Yamamoto cried, whirling around to get to the scared boy. Takeshi had to step back, however, when the cow child tossed another pink grenade straight at him. The explosion separated Futa from the teens, and the young psychic turned around to run.

The girl suddenly changed directions in the middle of her pursuit, back-flipping several paces back. A volley of bullets hailed down along the path she travelled, sure to have hit her if she had not backed off. Her sharp eyes gazed around for her attacker when she heard her partner scream. Everyone turned to look at the cow child, who was standing stalk still. In front of him stood Reborn, a slick black gun cocked coolly and aimed at his head. Leon was also in gun form, held in his other hand.

"R-Reborn! S-So you d-decided to c-come out a-and f-face me, h-huh?" the boy started to laugh nervously. He was definitely putting up a tough front despite his trembling. The girl froze as well, peering at her companion with concern. Her eyes darted to Tsuna for just a moment before she made a dash for him. Two can play at the hostage game.

Unfortunately for her, Reborn was one step ahead, aiming his Leon gun right where he anticipated the girl to be, firing a shot. She dodged supplely, stopping a few feet from a terrified Tsuna, staring warily back at the hitman. Both of his guns were pointed at the young attackers, and although he was looking at neither one of his targets, both of them knew enough of the hitman to know not to move.

The tension lasted a full minute before Ryohei finally shouted, "What the hell is going on? What is up with all these extreme kids?" The protective older brother was most certainly not happy about his sister's life being in danger.

Kyoko wiggled from her brother's embrace, getting to her feet shakily. "R-Reborn-chan, who are they?"

"The other players of our game," the baby commented suavely. "Meet the idiot reject of the Bovino family and the assassin of the Chinese Triad, I-Pin."

The tears started to flow out of the boy's eyes, and he whimpered, "Tol…er…ate…" He sucked up a trail of snot flowing from his nose before reaching into his hair again.

Reborn shot a warning shot next to Lambo's head, freezing him up again. "I dare you to move, reject."

Lambo snarled in a shaky voice, "D-damn y-you Re-Reborn!" He hiccupped. "I-I…I'm not a-a r-reject! I am t-the Great L-Lambo-san!" He scrunched up his face, trying to stop the tears. I-Pin seemed torn, unsure of what to do. Tsuna bit his lip, feeling bad about the situation. Maybe the kids had tried to attack them, but they really were just kids in the end, were they not?

"R-Reborn, it's ok. I-I'm sure we can all talk it over." Or he hoped to, at least. I-Pin gazed at the brunet, face suspicious. Tsuna flinched under her calculating gaze, managing a shaky smile, "I-It's ok. Reborn won't hurt your friend. Can we just talk? Please?" He cast desperate looks at I-Pin and Reborn.

I-Pin was good at what she did. Hell, for a five year old girl, she does a damned good job. Growing up with the Chinese Triad and learning from one of the best taught her to be tough in the face of adversary, even though she was actually very demure around strangers. She felt this toughness slip in face of the genuine kindness of Tsuna. Call it women's intuition or what not, but she could tell he was sincere. Her posture betrayed her premature defeat, and Reborn curled his lips, lowering the gun pointed at her.

Seeing that I-Pin had given up, Lambo tried to draw himself up confidently again, but failing, plopped down on his bottom instead, wiping his face of snot and tears. I-Pin ran over, helping Lambo to his feet. Takeshi and Hayato ran to their boss, checking over his condition. They helped Tsuna up, who immediately went over to the Sasagawas.

"Kyoko-chan! Onii-san! Are you ok?" he asked frantically, looking over them for wounds.

Both teens shook their heads, with Ryohei asking, "Wasn't that a little too extreme for a couple of kids?"

Fidgetting, Kyoko frowned, "This seemed a little too real to be a game…" Tsuna flinched, rubbing his neck sheepishly. Only he and Gokudera knew just how real this whole thing was; was keeping the others in the dark really such a good idea?

"Haha, of course mafia games come with some kind of risk!" Takeshi chirped, "It wouldn't be fun otherwise, would it?"

Frowning, Kyoko clasped her hands, "But fighting isn't good…"

"Oh, extremely interesting! It will be good training!" Ryohei, punched the air. "I won't lose next time!" Kyoko shot him a nervous look, and Tsuna felt extremely guilty at that moment. The auburnette's nature made her completely unsuitable for the mafia, and he had no idea what Reborn was thinking in inviting her.

Ryohei seemed to sense his sister's uneasiness, for he frowned, "Kyoko, maybe you shouldn't play. This could get extremely dangerous."

The girl glanced between all the friends before shaking her head, "No, I will. Don't worry." She gave a reassuring smile, although the teens still seemed uneasy with the idea.

Lambo was still trying to control his tears while I-Pin attempted to cheer him up, and Tsuna really could not help but think they were still so innocent. To think children as young as them were involved in something like the mafia.

Futa walked over to the group, completely uninjured. "Lambo and I-Pin are also after me. It's unusual for the Italian and Chinese mob to work together, so I'm curious as to why they are together."

"Why don't we find out?" Reborn smirked, "We'll all go to Tsuna's house and talk it over." Lambo growled, but grunted in reluctant defeat. I-Pin agreed with a curt nod, eyes boring into Tsuna. The brunet felt twitchy under her gaze, wondering why she was so fixated on him.

"H-Hey Reborn, why do we have to go to my house?" the brunet asked fearfully, but the hitman only ignored him, leading the way to the Sawada household. As they walked away, however, Reborn turned around, glancing around. He knew there was someone there, but his instincts told him that whoever it was only posed minimal risk. With that in mind, Reborn continued on his way, smirking when he felt a pair of eyes watching them again.

Tsuna warily unlocked his door, finding the house cold and empty. Bianchi had a habit of leaving in the day to do who knows what, so it was normal not to see her when he went home. He could not help but remember how he used to find it depressing to come home to his house like this, but with eight others behind him, a warmth quickly spread throughout the halls. He flicked the lights on, and everyone piled in, removing their shoes respectfully, even I-Pin. It was at this moment that Tsuna finally noticed that Lambo had not been wearing shoes, tracking dirt onto the clean floor. The Chinese girl shouted something in her tongue, to which Lambo made a face. The cow child reached into his hair, pulling out a pair of cow-printed booties and slipped them on, sticking his tongue out at his companion.

"Lead us to your room, Tsuna," Reborn said, kicking the brunet in the head when he stared dumbly. The teen yelped, rubbing his head with a pout. He traversed the stairs slowly, having no desire to trip in the presence of his friends. Everyone milled into the brunet's small room, and Tsuna blushed at the all the clothes on the ground. He quickly tossed them into a pile in the corner, making space for everyone to sit down.

Reborn hopped onto his hammock to see everyone clearly. Onyx eyes bore into the two young assassins before him, and he addressed them, "So talk. Why are you here?"

I-Pin looked at Lambo, who made a face before clearing his throat. "Well, the great Lambo-san was sent to find the Ranking Futa for his family! I-Pin is my assistant-"

He was stopped short by a cute and angry grunt from the Chinese girl, and he quickly amended, "I-Pin was hired by the Chinese Triad for the same thing. S-So we're just travelling together. But I've been helping her a lot, because I'm so great!" he finished boastfully, causing I-Pin to sigh.

Kyoko cocked her head, looking at the little girl, "I-Pin-chan, you can't speak Japanese?" She spoke slowly, wondering if the girl understood her. She assumed that she at least comprehended the words, since she seemed to understand Lambo. The girl blushed slightly, looking down. She nodded silently, but then opened her mouth.

"I understand. But not speak well. Sorry." A thick accent marred her words, and her grammar was poor, but her point was clear enough.

Kyoko grinned, leaning forward slightly. "It's ok. We can help you practice!" Everyone looked at her incredulously. She had just offered help to the enemy! Tsuna felt pride and admiration for the girl, even if he was still wary of the children.

The little girl seemed surprised, her blush deepening. She only nodded, looking down again. The auburnette smiled, giggling a little.

Reborn interrupted, "Why send kids then? I-Pin is understandable, because she can handle herself, but Lambo is completely inept." The baby smirked when Lambo's temper rose.

"Damn you Reborn! We were sent because kids were less suspicious! It was all a trap, hahaha!"

"Lambo!" I-Pin cried, smacking his arm, "You can't tell enemy plans! Ruin them!" The cow child paled at her words, screaming out in frustration.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Reborn asked, "Is that the only reason you're here?" His voice betrayed suspicion, and both children suddenly seemed wary. Lambo, however, was first to speak, "I also want to destroy you, Reborn! You're my greatest rival, so therefore we are destined to fight!" He pulled out a grenade from his hair, but the baby pointedly ignored him.

Tsuna flinched, "C-Calm down, Lambo!"

It did not help matters that Reborn turned to I-Pin instead, completely ignoring Lambo, "And you?"

Furious, the cow child flung his grenade at Reborn, but the hitman simply whacked it to the side, where it exploded on the wall. Smoke filled the room, and Tsuna stumbled to open his window. Sounds of coughing filled the room, mitigating as the smoke filtered out. When it cleared, the brunet glanced at his wall, squealing, "M-My room! Reborn!" He flashed an exasperated caramel gaze at the hitman, who shrugged.

"Wasn't my fault. Lambo threw the grenade. But anyways," he ignored the distressed brunet and raging boy, turning back to the girl, "Why are you here?"

I-Pin shifted uncomfortably. Her shield was breaking down by the second. Shyly she looked away from Tsuna, mumbling, "I was ordered to kill Tsunayoshi Sawada."

Silence filled the room, everyone taking in severity of her words. Gokudera stood up, hands in fists. "How dare you try and kill Juudaime!" the bomber hissed, startling the girl. Her eyes hardened, and she seemed to be on the alert for an attack from the seething silverette.

"Gokudera-kun, calm down!"

Hayato blinked, turning to look at the brunet. Tsuna had a stiff frown, unwavering. The silverette grunted, sitting back down. I-Pin's eyes flickered to meet Tsuna's caramels, and the teen opened his mouth. Suddenly, he closed it, confusion swirling in his jumbled thoughts. After a pregnant pause, he finally took a shaky breath, softly asking, "Do you still want to kill me?"

Startled by the question, I-Pin dropped her guard completely, mouth dropping open. Her deft fingers played with the silk sleeves of her top, and she pursed her lips, slowly shaking her head. Tsuna seemed genuinely surprised, as did the other members of the room. Reborn raised his eyebrows slightly, before turning to the door. At that moment, a soft knock could be heard, followed by Nana Sawada's chirp, "Tsu-kun, are you in there?"

"A-ah, yeah, mom!" Tsuna pushed himself from the wall, heading to open the door for his mother. Mother and son exchanged bright smiles before the woman poked her head into the room.

"Hello Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto-kun, Sasagawa-kun and Sasagawa-chan," she smiled, everyone returning her smile in full-forth, even Gokudera.

"Please, honored mother of Juudaime! You can just call me Hayato!"

"Anything works for me, haha!"

"Call me Ryohei, to the extreme!"

"I don't mind Kyoko, Mrs. Sawada."

"Oh my," the mother giggled, "If you insist." Her eyes wandered over to the three new kids among them, and she lit up. "Oh! Who might you sweeties be?" Never a sweeter smile would Nana have except when she was around young children. Even shy I-Pin found herself warming up to the woman instantly, and all three offered their quiet greetings.

Reborn smiled, "They're acquaintances of mine," when none of the kids offered an explanation for their appearance. Well, he did not expect them to in the first place.

"Ah, so many guests over!" Nana was absolutely thrilled. "How about I make us all cookies? Yes, I think that's a great idea. Why don't you all come down for drinks while I start on them?"

"I'll help you, Mrs. Sawada!" Kyoko piped up, rolling up the sleeves of her cardigan.

"W-Want to help too," I-Pin softly said, gazing timidly at the other two females.

"Of course, I-Pin-chan!" The beautiful smile warmed the little Chinese girl's heart, and she nodded a little more excitedly as she followed the older females downstairs, leaving the boys in Tsuna's room.

Reborn hopped down from his hammock, toddling out the door without another word. Lambo stalked out right after him, mumbling something under his breath. Futa followed behind the other four boys, still keeping his distance from the other two kids.

In the kitchen, any tension that may have been present evaporated in the face of Nana's overwhelmingly sunny disposition. She asked many questions of the three kids, and it was not long until they started to open up to the kind woman.

Lambo was laughing arrogantly again, bragging about his self-proclaimed greatness. When questions were asked about his family, he seemed to falter in his words, but continued to brag nonetheless. During that time, the teens became quite aware about Lambo's obsessive love for candy, especially the grape-flavored variety, as the cow child incessantly talked about all the brands he liked for a good five minutes.

I-Pin dodged all the questions regarding her family, or anything about her personal life, actually. She did, however, speak highly about a great martial artist who she viewed as her father, idol and master, not once mentioning his name. Reborn listened thoughtfully to her words, smiling slightly as she described her master. Apparently, the girl really enjoyed cooking and displayed a surprising amount of skill when she started baking cookies with Nana and Kyoko.

Futa's stories sounded mysterious and systematic, as if he had a tale weaved ahead of time for situations just like this. Knowing just who he was, however, the teens would not have been surprised if that was the case. He did admit that he had no immediate family or many interests outside of his love of reading.

After the cookies were placed in the oven, Nana came over to the table, offering to play a game of charades with the children. Reborn forced Tsuna and his friends to act for the kids to guess, much to their humiliation. Actually, Ryohei and Yamamoto seemed to really get into it even if their portrayals of their subjects were very poorly done.

"Ah! Turf-top! Your acting sucks! Even Stupidera was better!"[5] Lambo screamed, pointing a finger at the scowling boxer, who was pretending to be a cat at the moment. He had heard all the nicknames being thrown back and forth by the teens, taking a liking to most of them, although he had already come up with one of his own for the forever-pissed-off bomber.

"Lambo! Don't be mean! Calling names bad!" I-Pin chided, frowning at her companion.

"I-Pin's right, Lambo," Futa agreed.

Aghast, the cow child shouted, "No fair! You two can't gang up on me! I'm not going to share any of my candy with you!"

Watching the three of them interact, Tsuna realized just how much they really were like kids; it was as if they had completely forgotten about their mission. An hour ago, they were all enemies, predators chasing prey, but now, they were laughing and playing together, sharing secrets and hints, and bickering with one another like old pals. It hurt to think of their real lives when all he saw were young children before his eyes. Ones who liked to play, sing, laugh and make friends.

Not ones who were cold-blooded murderers.

The brunet's sad expression did not go unnoticed by his tutor, who frowned. The cookies were done quickly, sparing the teens from more embarrassing performances. Nana watched the kids fondly, asking them, "So where are you staying in Namimori? I'll take you kids home."

All three went silent at this, looking at each other nervously. They had bonded in the past hour and really did not want to go back to their families with news of failure. How could they continue their mission as they were right now?

"Don't tell me," Nana frowned, "You have nowhere to stay? How is that possible?"

Well, they had expected to finish their job early, after all…

Nana remembered back to their stories, remembering that Futa had no parents, and I-Pin had mentioned she did not know where her master was. As for Lambo, his family had sent him all the way from Italy. How could any parents let their young child travel like this? All three claimed to be visiting their "friend" Reborn, yet they had nowhere to live in the meantime, and did not even mention how long their trip was. The thought actually made the calm woman feel a bit angered, but she waved it off, smiling as a new idea came to her mind.

"Why don't you three stay here with me and Tsuna? I'll take care of you while you're in Japan. I would love to have you three here."

I-Pin and Lambo were completely taken aback, but Futa had been expecting this outcome. Nana _was_ ranked highly on the list more hospitable people. The young assassins seemed nervous. They should head back, but both had reasons not to, reasons they would not reveal to anyone.

"Will I…get grape candies every day?" Lambo asked bluntly, earning him a short scolding from I-Pin. Nana only laughed, nodding. The young Bovino lit up, jumping up from his seat. "Then I will stay!"

I-Pin fidgeted, "If Lambo stay, me too…"

"Then it's settled! I'll go set up the living room for you sweeties right now!" With that, the joyful mother ran off to gather blankets and pillows. Tsuna watched her go with a smile, having not seen his mother this happy in a while. He knew full well just how much she loved kids, but was worried that having less-than-normal children in the household may attract unpleasant events. Nonetheless, that was a problem to worry about when the time came.

And hopefully, it never would.

After a while longer, the other teens headed home as Reborn said he had to get Tsuna started on his homework. The children all went to sleep after a glass of warm milk, which Tsuna secretly found to be adorable. He headed up to his room to find Reborn setting up a number of booby traps around his hammock. Tsuna gawked at the hitman baby, who acted completely nonchalant about his actions.

"R-Reborn! What are you doing? A-Are those bombs?" he pointed at some shiny black objects strapped to strings surrounding the perimeter of the hammock.

"Of course. I don't want my sleep disturbed by the idiot cow downstairs," the baby responded in a matter-of-factly tone.

The brunet walked over to his own bed, sitting down on it in confusion, "But they won't attack us anymore, right?"

"I-Pin said she won't. But Lambo is too stupid. He'll keep coming after me, and I'm willing to admit that it is rather irritating." Tsuna's eyes widened. Could Reborn actually be fearful of Lambo?

But the baby continued in a huff, "He keeps getting dust on my suits. Such a messy brat." Reborn finished the last of his traps, going to the homework table.

Of course.

"But Tsuna," he looked up at his student, startling the brunet with his serious tone. "You have a huge problem. I noticed it when you were fighting those bullies the first time you used your Dying Will. You had the same problem when you fought Gokudera and Mochida. It's especially troublesome right now, because if you weren't lucky like today, you would have fallen right into a common trap."

Confused, Tsuna stammered, "W-What do you mean?"

Reborn hopped up onto the teen's lap, tilting his fedora up. "You're too soft, and you trust far too easily. It's a fatal flaw. You've been lucky up until now, but soon, that kind of softness is going to cause you more harm than good." Ignoring the shocked expression on the brunet's face, the hitman tutor jumped off, walking back towards the table. "After just seeing Lambo and I-Pin act like kids, you were so quick to drop your guard and accept them. You're lucky they're actually as innocent as they appear. Lambo is a complete imbecile, which is why his family kicked him out. He puts up that tough front of his, and admirable as it may seem, he's really a crybaby on the inside who is still in denial of that fact. He's convinced that he's on a mission when he's really just trying to win the approval of his family back. I-Pin was raised by a good master who lives as a pacifist. He was forced to join the Chinese Triad when something precious to him was held hostage, but it did not stop him from teaching her to be kind and do what she felt was right. That is why she gave up her mission the moment she realized how soft and harmless you were."

The hitman allowed a few moments for his student to maul that over before continuing, "There are scores of other mafia children who are every bit as cold-blooded and ruthless as an adult. There was a famous incident several years ago regarding the Estraneo family." Reborn seemed emotionless as he spoke, but a hint of disgust was in his tone. "They took children who were abandoned by their families to become human test subjects for grotesque experiments. These children were brought into the family with promises of security and comfort, but were cruelly met with painful experimentation. One of their more dangerous experiments worked, but the boy who they used ended up massacring all of the scientists and the rest of the family with the terrifying new power they had given him. Even some of the children were killed by his hands. He had escaped the authorities for a time because he was very convincing in his innocent act. Tsuna," he turned back around, onyx eyes locking with frightened caramels. "What if either of those kids were simply fooling you? What if they were as heartless as the Estraneo boy? This kind of trust is deadly. Get rid of it."

Solemn silence followed. Tsuna's brain was working hard at processing everything he had just heard. The severity of the issue weighed heavily on his mind, and the brunet trembled slightly. "I-I knew those kids w-were ok though."

The hitman furrowed his eyebrows, looking away from his student. "And how is it that you know?"

The brunet flushed slightly, running a hand through his hair. "I-I don't know. I-It's like…a feeling, kinda." He realized how stupid he sounded, but Reborn actually seemed interested in his words.

The baby mumbled to something to himself, striking confused curiosity in the brunet.

"Reborn?"

Breaking out of his musings, the tutor looked back up, "It doesn't excuse the softness. You'll have no choice but to fight for real someday. Intimidating bullies, earning sympathy, and disabling limbs will only get you so far. Fighting will be inevitable," the hitman responded coldly, sending chills up the teen's back. "Understand, Dame-Tsuna?"

The brunet stared forward, eyes glazed at the mention of the nickname.

Reborn curled his lips, jumping forcefully onto the brunet's lap again, causing him to squeak. "Do you understand me, Tsunayoshi Sawada?" he repeated in a calm voice.

Caramels widening at the use of his full name, Tsuna was unable to respond for a moment. Finally he nodded, softly speaking.

"Yes."

Smiling, Reborn hopped back onto the ground. "Good. Then let's start homework." His smile only widened when he heard the teen groan.

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><p><strong>Ohhh I made a mention of Mukuro, heehee. He's coming up soon~<strong>

**I hope that wasn't too boring to read. I know Lambo and I-Pin aren't the most interesting or favorite characters for people to read about. I just needed to set this up for later! **

**Like I said, this was originally supposed to include the "date", but what I had planned would have stretched this to over 15,000 words, and I felt that was too long for a chapter. Do you guys actually like these long chapters, or would you rather have shorter chapters? **

**.-.-.**

**[1] Rotator cuff injuries are not actually disabling. Sure, they take long to heal, but your arm is mostly functional even with the injury. The reason I stuck Yamamoto in a sling was to allow his arm a little rest so he could heal faster. Overexerting the injured limb does hurt though. **

**[2] Eh? Would you consider that as 1827? Very very little, but still? **

**[3] Totally not a true ranking. xD I made it up.**

**[4] You're going to see several different things about Lambo and I-Pin, including with appearances, languages, and perhaps abilities. This is to make things a little more realistic. Also, if you see grammar mistakes in I-Pin's Japanese, that's intentional. **

**[5] Stupidera = Bakadera. I'm sure you all have heard Lambo call Gokudera that name before.**

**.-.-.**

_**Replies to reviews:**_

**Stargazer:**** Thanks! Ahhh I know 27K is total turn off for most people, but it's honestly a pairing I really love. xD There will be 1827 sometime later, but I'm trying really hard not to force it as to avoid making it awkward. If I ever get there, probably in another 7 chapters there will be a really good 1827 moment. I'm not quite up there in planning yet. Hang tight, 1827 fans!**

** **: **Bwahhh you're way too kind to my work. ;n; You shoulda seen me the day I saw you reviewing my story:**

**Me: "OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS, THIS PERSON WHO WRITES MY FAVORITE KHR FANFIC REVIEWED MY STORY, OH MY GOD, SO EXCITED HRKHSAGDFGH" **

**My friends: "….o_o"**

**Me: -still grinning- **

**I will try to update as fast as I can! I'm trying to balance my writing with schoolwork and my art as well. X_x It's a lot of work haha. Thank you so much for reading my little insignificant story. ;u; I continue to look forward to yours, and I finally reviewed it, at long last! Wah, I'm so sorry!**

**Jasmin Lietha: I'll try really hard not to let it get out of hand. I'm actually rather excited now. :'D **

**Wahaha! Oh my goodness, someone who is willing to give it a shot? I mean, in this universe, the characters are a little different, so the pairings may work a little differently. xD They are teenagers, so hormones are bound to run rampant. OuO**

**Ahhh you understood my intent of this chapter so well! I honestly had a REALLY hard time writing Bianchi since I was so used to her being nice. She just did not come off as a really kind person to me, so I worked hard to make her sound…reasonable? I'm glad you really thought it worked out!**

**Oh really? I want to read it when you start then! That actually sounds really interesting, a story with Bianchi and Chrome. :D **

**Qqsha: Pfftttt Shamal amuses me greatly. I can't decide if I like him or not. So maybe I'll just make him badass later. **

**I'm aiming to make Tsuna kind to a fault, bursting out without thinking and usually regretting his decision since he doesn't know how to handle himself. But that's what his friends are for, right? (After all, they handled Hibari for him ;D)**

**OH MY LORD, BIANCHI COOKING FOR THE SAWADAS, I DON'T EVEN- **

**-faints-**

**Serendipital: R-Really? Oh my goodness, thank you! *U* I spend more time on characterizations than maybe I should, but I'm glad it's working out. **

**Ok, so it's not just me. I have a tendency to do that with my dialogue, and I've noticed and I know it's wrong, but I am reluctant to make a ton of new paragraphs for all my dialogue. Since no one has said anything thus far, I had kept making this awful mistake. Since you made the note, I'll stop doing it. xD I guess I was just waiting for someone to tell me it's bad haha! Sorry! Thank you! Really! C: **

**Funeral of the Fallen Musician: Thank you so much for reviewing! Glad you like it so far!**

**.-.-.**

**Only 6 reviewers, but you guys gave me such in-depth reviews and responses, so I'm really happy. No really, I love these in depth responses, even if they're a few. ;u; Love you guys! I enjoy responding to you all~**

**Oh that note, next chapter may be faster than this time(hopefully), since it's all planned out.**

**Till next time, please review, and thank you so much for reading and commenting thus far!**

**Cheers,**

**~Alexie**


	8. Mobsters & Children & Girls, Oh My!

_**As usual, replies to reviews are at the bottom Author's Note!**_

**I dedicate this chapter to Miss Jasmin Liertha for helping me fix a grueling punctuation mistake I had with my dialogue, and also inspiring me to finish this chapter! Thanks deary!~ **

**I won't make any excuses about why this took so long, because I'm sure you guys are all sick of hearing them by now, yes? I promise you it wasn't just because I was being lazy though. I have been dragging whatever part of my brain that would function to come up with ideas and work on plotting if I couldn't bring myself to write properly. But this chapter is a lot longer than my usual ones, so please enjoy! 15k+ words, muahaha! **

**As such, I have to warn you guys that until June 15th, update times will be sketchy. I have a crap ton of work and obligations coming up in whatever is left of my senior year of high school. Once summer starts, I will try to update a more consistently and frequently while I prepare for college. xD **

**That makes me rather disappointed, since I really do love writing this fic and hearing your responses to my story. I'm rather astonished (and very delighted) that my fic has 66 alerts and 65 faves, very close to my Pokemon story, which is double in words and chapters and reviews. That's very exciting. So is hitting 55 reviews. I can't believe I've already hit the 50 mark! I got about 12 in just the last chapter. Not to mention the 3 community adds I got. That was more incredible to me more than anything. Thank you guys, I seriously appreciate your interest and support! I sometimes reread old reviews to get myself inspired. My readers are truly my muse. C: **

**Last Chapter: Reborn invited the Sasagawa's to join Tsuna's family, to which they accepted enthusiastically, believing it all to be a game, a decision that Tsuna was not too happy with. Bianchi moved in with the Sawada's, much to Tsuna's further displeasure. The following day, Tsuna met a young child by the name of Futa, who is famed for his ability to rank individuals in any category, a skill that many mafiosos seek to exploit. He got more than he bargained for when two more genius children (although one of them is questionable), Lambo and I-Pin, were sent by the mafia to capture Futa and assassinate Reborn and Tsuna. Reborn proves to be too much for the two assassins, and Lambo surrenders in tears, making Tsuna pity him greatly. The trio of kids were taken to the Sawada residence, where Nana excitedly offered to give lodgings and care for the children upon discovering that they had no place to stay. While this was yet more unwelcome news for the brunet, Tsuna only had one thing on his mind now.**

**His d-date with Kyoko t-t-tomorrow. **

**Holy Vongola.**

**Warnings:** **Language, slight 27K**** (LE GASP, HET PAIRING WUT) and Black boxers ;D (This one's for you, Dashusi4ka!)**

**Disclaimer: Gotta say that KHR doesn't belong to me. Otherwise I might be sued for plagiarism. Might.**

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><p><em>Chapter 8: Mobsters and Children and Girls, Oh My!<em>

* * *

><p>"Quit following me, baseball idiot!"<p>

"Gokudera, we're going the same way home anyways, haha! Come on, it's just a few more blocks."

Huffing, the silverette widened his steps to place more distance between himself and the grinning baseball star. Admittedly, he was not as irritated with Yamamoto as he originally was for reasons that eluded him. Still, it did not make him happy to be dealing with the teen. Honestly, why did he even bothe-

"Haha, hey Gokudera, isn't that your sister over there?" Yamamoto asked, pointing up ahead.

Despite knowing better, the bomber's head shot up; true to Takeshi's word, his sister stood a block ahead, casually walking towards them. Hayato mentally panicked for a moment before he realized the usual wave of nausea had not overtaken him. Then again, he had barely recognized his sister if it had not been for her unique rose-colored hair. The woman was wearing her red shades despite the darkness of dusk, and Gokudera entertained the thought of her being nocturnal for a moment.

Bianchi noticed her brother and his friend up ahead but showed no sign of acknowledging them. Gokudera sped up, having no desire to greet or even look at her. Yamamoto blinked, picking up his pace as well. However, as the two passed Bianchi, the woman turned around, calling out, "Hayato."

The bomber faltered in his steps for a moment but kept going strong. The baseball star did pause, giving the woman his attention. "What's up, Bianchi?"

She was standing under the flickering light of a street lamp, and only then did Yamamoto finally have a good look at her. Dust covered her pale skin and a small cut blemished her upper left arm. The assassin's flowing locks looked ruffled, even if the woman had been walking calmly. Frowning, the teen asked, "Hey, what happened? You look like you had quite a scuffle there."

Interest piqued, Gokudera finally turned around, begrudgingly, appraising his sister's appearance. He smirked, "Got into a fight?" Leave it to his sister to come out of her matches almost uninjured and clean.

"Something like that," was the woman's response, taking the opportunity to run her slender fingers through her tangled hair. "Reborn told me about the local yakuza acting up, so I went to send them an ultimatum." She smiled at the last word, and Gokudera felt his face draining of its blood supply.

"Well I'm glad you had your sick fun," he muttered, turning back around. He did not get far before his sister called out again.

"Hayato." A pause. "Be careful. There's still a lot of them out there. Don't act rash."

Gokudera let out a low hiss, fisting his hands. He felt the burning gaze of his sister on his back and suddenly wanted to leave all the more. "And don't patronize me. I can handle myself just fine," the silverette retorted coolly, continuing on his way.

Takeshi frowned at his friend's retreating back. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, a blithe grin stretching across his face. "And I just got an idea." He turned to Bianchi, grinning, "Good night, Bianchi! Thanks for the warning!" With that, he ran after his fuming companion, leaving the woman standing under the lamplight. She shrugged before heading home, smiling at the thought of seeing her beloved Reborn.

Yamamoto caught up with his feisty friend, rounding around the silverette. As usual, a scowl marred the teen's face, and it only deepened when he saw the baseball star. "You're still following me?"

"Haha, yeah! Hey listen, I actually have a really good idea."

"That'll be a first."

"Let's have a sleepover!" Takeshi chirped without missing beat, ignoring Gokudera's snide remark.

That stopped Gokudera in his steps. "Excuse me?" The silverette's emeralds flashed, mouth parted in shock.

Laughing, the teen elaborated. "I think it would be cool! I mean, your sister mentioned that the yakuza has been active, so I thought it would be a good idea to stay close."

Hayato's eyes twitched, and he shoved Yamamoto off to the side with a growl and stomped past him. "I don't have time for your idiocy."

A hand on his shoulder stopped him again, and he was about to throw it off when Yamamoto spoke softly, "Just hear me out? It's not exactly for us. I was thinking more about Tsuna."

Eyebrows furrowing, the silverette turned around, crossing his arms. Thrilled that he got his attention, Yamamoto continued, "He's got his date with Kyoko tomorrow, right? I thought it would be cool if we played our roles as his family members by watching over him. That's why I'm suggesting this sleepover, so we can easily coordinate a time to leave to follow him, since well, you know," he laughed heartily, "We'll be together the whole night!"

Flustered, Hayato threw his arms up in the air, "Idiot! Don't say something embarrassing like that so happily!"

"Haha, what?" Takeshi blinked, his uneasiness creeping into his smile momentarily. The bomber sighed, rubbing his temple. Honestly, Takeshi Yamamoto was equivalent to grade-school child in naïvety. Perhaps more so.

"Nevermind," he growled, before asking carefully, "You're suggesting we spy on Juudaime tomorrow while he's on his date?" Attentive again, Takeshi grinned and nodded.

As disgusted as he was with the utterly childish proposal, Hayato was all for keeping his boss safe, but there was a chance that his boss will lose his trust in him if he found out they were spying on him. He did not mind if Yamamoto lost favor, but could not bear it for himself. Still…

"Come on, I'll feed you breakfast, haha!"

Gokudera cursed himself for even considering the bribe that was practically shoved into his face. He had run out of food in his apartment again, after all. Still, the bribe was fruitless since old man Yamamoto already offered him free meals whenever he pleased, but staying over for the night would mean that he could get food easier.

Oh, to hell with it.

"Fine, I'll join in. But don't try anything like drawing on my face or dying my hair, else I WILL blow you up," the silverette threatened, to which the baseball star only laughed at.

Since both teens were tired anyways, they were intent to go to bed almost immediately as they wanted to awake early to carry out their plan. It only wore them down more when Gokudera exploded on Yamamoto's hospitality of letting his feisty guest take his bed.

"You're the guest. Go ahead and sleep on the bed!" Yamamoto tried to push Gokudera towards the fluffy covers, but the bomber was obstinate in his refusal.

"I'm fine with the floor, baseball freak!" He shoved against Yamamoto. "Take back your bed. I'll probably get infected by your idiocy." Gokudera stood firm, refusing to budge any further. No way was he movi-

"Haha, you say the cutest things, Gokudera!

Hayato whipped around, red dusting his pale cheeks. "W-What the hell? What kind of guy wants to be called cu-"

Before the silverette finished the sentence, he found himself falling backwards, landing forcefully on the bed. The baseball star hovered over him, evidently the culprit behind the fall. He had Gokudera's shoulders pinned down; the bomber's struggles were futile against the strength of arms well-toned by strenuous baseball practice.

"So you'll sleep on the bed?"

"N-no way."

"Come on, Gokudera, haha!" He leaned in closer to the silverette. "Don't make me persuade you."

Emerald orbs blinked, and Hayato was really not sure how much more he could take of Takeshi's face so close to his, his breath caressing his flamed cheeks-

"Ok, fine fine!" he snapped, renewing his struggles. "Now get off of me, moron!"

Laughing merrily, Yamamoto relinquished his hold, tossing a set of old clothes at his companion. "Here you go! Bathroom's down the hall on the right. Lemme get you a toothbrush."

After more(failed) resistance from the silverette to accept anymore hospitality from his host, the two finally went to bed, although Gokudera found sleep did not come to him easily.

Tsuna went to bed with as little ease as Gokudera, thoughts lingering on the booby traps Reborn had set up around his hammock. The brunet eyed the hole in his wall, marveling at how his mother had not noticed it yet. Reborn had promised that he would get someone to fix it, but the teen was not convinced. He did want to be well rested for tomorrow, so he pushed his thoughts aside to get some much needed rest.

The next morning, he woke up and noticed that the traps were gone and that his room was very much intact.

Intact, and lacking the giant blemish in the wall that was so painfully present the previous day. Tsuna felt like he should have been surprised, but only sighed as he got out of bed. Suddenly remembering his day's plans, the brunet's demeanor lit up as he walked to his door with a spring in his step. As he opened his door, something slammed into his back, causing the brunet to fly, screaming, into the open bathroom directly across the hall. He crashed into the bathtub, crumbling to the ground with a pained groan. Reborn silently walked into the bathroom, chirping, "Good morning, Dame-Tsuna. You were late waking up. A boss must never be late to any of his appointments."

The teen's expression deflated for just a moment before wariness and exasperation crept back onto his features. "Reborn! Why did you do that?" he exclaimed, rubbing the knot on his head while glancing at the bathroom clock absentmindedly.

After screaming at the sight of the time, the brunet leapt to his feet, rushing to prepare. Reborn watched him with amusement, smirking at his student's reaction. He left the room to allow his bumbling protégée to get ready for his outing with Kyoko.

After speedily washing up and trying to fix his ever-messy hair, Tsuna raced back to his room to search through his closet. He cringed, realizing his clothes were extremely dorky, since his mother, quite literally, dressed him. Or, at least, did all his shopping for him. Mentally, he tried to think of how Gokudera dressed; while the bomber did look like a delinquent, Tsuna secretly thought his feisty friend had good fashion sense. The thought brought a blush to his face as he dug through a pile of clothes to find one of his favorite white shirts with a huge, teal "27" on the front. Twenty-seven was his favorite number. He was told that as a child, when he could not pronounce the short "tsu" sound, he made a garbled "two" sound instead, and his mother had told him that it meant the number two in English. For the longest time, Tsuna refused to say seven as "nana," claiming his mother was not a number, and simply said "na". The idea of a two and seven stuck, so twenty-seven became his favorite number. Silly, perhaps, but it was something from a happier time in Tsuna's life that he clung to. [1]

Tsuna pulled the shirt over his head, slightly scrunching up the long black sleeves. Glancing out the window to check the weather, the brunet grabbed a blue plaid dress shirt from his hangers and pulled it on without buttoning, giving it an appearance of a short-sleeved jacket. He grabbed a pair of black jeans and slung them on, checking his appearance in the mirror. Frowning at the pants threatening to fall, the teen grabbed a silver belt and threaded it around his waist. He was definitely filling out, but his pants were still loose on him. [2]

He gave himself a chance to marvel at his appearance. He never went out, so rarely had to think about dressing casually. The outfit was foreign to him, but it did not look bad. At least, Tsuna did not think he looked bad. After one last failure to tame his hair, the brunet went down the stairs, making it to the floor with less effort than normal. Smiling as he reached the last step, the teen turned towards the kitchen where the delicious aroma of breakfast was streaming out.

The kitchen was anything but quiet for the first time in years. Even from the stairs, Tsuna could hear Lambo's screaming and laughing. He walked in just as I-Pin shouted, "Lambo! No stealing candy! Bad!"

The cow child was giggling maniacally as he shoved a bag's worth of grape candy into his afro, and the Chinese girl was trying to reprimand him. Futa was eating his food quietly with a smile, sienna eyes twinkling as he watched the two kids. Nana was humming to herself as she busied herself at the stove, turning around instinctively when her son entered the kitchen. "Good morning, Tsu-kun! Would you like breakfast before you go out on your date?"

Face exploding in blush, the brunet gasped, "M-Mom! It's n-not a d-date! We're j-just hanging o-out for the d-day…"

"Yes, yes, whatever you say, Tsu-kun!" Nana smiled knowingly, turning back around to turn off the stove and wipe her hands. She glanced at the kids, who were still bickering, and walked over. "Lambo, too much candy isn't good for you! Let's try and just have a piece a day, ok?"

The boy looked up at the kind mother, blinking owlishly. He mumbled, "But Lambo-san really likes his grape candy…"

Nana hummed, ruffling Lambo's hair gently. "Alright, just this time, I'll let you keep your treats. Try to eat them slowly to let them last longer, ok?" She smiled at the boy, whose face lit up immediately.

"Wahaha! Yes, Lambo-san will accept Mama's agreement!" the child laughed arrogantly, pulling a candy from his hair to eat. I-Pin watched in mild annoyance, turning back to her food in silence.

Futa put his chopsticks down and poked the girl. "It's ok, I-Pin. We'll monitor Lambo by ourselves!" He laughed, earning him a smile from the Chinese girl, who smirked slightly at the still-laughing Lambo. Lambo noticed their secret interaction, however, and turned a hard glare towards Futa.

Before anything else could escalate, Tsuna interrupted, "T-this is nice and all, but I think I'll just go now, mom. I'm running late, so I-I'll just get something to eat with Kyoko-chan."

The mother grinned at her son. "Alright, honey. Do you need money?"

Pulling out his wallet, Tsuna leafed through its contents and sheepishly said, "Y-Yeah…money would be good."

Nana knowingly plucked a few bills from her apron pocket and giggled, "Buy her something nice, alright? And don't worry about spending it all. Reborn-chan's cousin gives me a very generous salary!" She handed the money to her blushing son, who just nodded quietly.

At the door, he called back, "I'm going out then! Bye mom! Bye everyone!" He glanced around, suddenly realizing that Reborn was not around. Warily, he closed the door behind him, glancing around for the hitman baby. He cautiously headed outside the walls of his residence and headed down the street towards the Sasagawa residence. Ryohei had suggested that he should come to pick up Kyoko instead of letting her wander around the neighborhood alone after the recent string of attacks, so he had given the brunet the address to their house.

Fidgetting with his polo, Tsuna quickly ran through the list of things he needed for his outing. Decent clothes: check. Not embarrassing boxers(in case Reborn decided to pull another Dying Will stunt): check. Clean appearance: check. Cell-phone: check. Wallet: check.

Because he was not paying any attention to where he was going, the brunet failed to notice the person who was standing right around the corner. Two yelps sounded as Tsuna collided with the person before him, and he gripped the telephone pole at the corner desperately to avoid falling down ungracefully. The brunet rubbed his face, looking to see who he had run into.

It was no one he had recognized immediately. The person, a pretty girl with short umber hair pulled into a high ponytail, opened her brown eyes, which had been clenched in pain. She hopped back to her feet immediately, face flushed red, and smoothed out her simple yellow hoodie dress with the face of a chick on it. Her shoes were orange, matching the orange feather pin she was now readjusting to hold her side bangs back. Finally Tsuna's memory clicked.

"Y-You're that cosplay maniac, Haku!" Tsuna exclaimed, but suddenly felt guilty. "A-Ah! Sorry that I r-ran into you!"

"Excuse you?" the girl grimaced, placing both her hands on her hips. "My name is _not_ Haku. It's Haru! Haru Miura! Even I know you're Dame-Tsuna!"

Now it was Tsuna's turn to bristle, although he once again deflated slightly at the mention of the nickname. "H-How do you that name?"

Waving her hand absently, Haru replied, "Everyone in his part of town knows about you. You're not exactly the creature under the rock." Before Tsuna could respond, she held her hand up, seriously saying, "Forget that. I have something important to discuss with you."

"U-Uh…" Tsuna rubbed his arms, exasperated by the girl. "I'm in a bit of a hur-"

"Who were those kids with you yesterday?" she asked, interrupting the brunet. Her intense gaze made Tsuna feel uncomfortable, and he found himself struggling to come up with a lie. However, nothing coherent came from his mouth, and Haru was fast to intercede again. Pouting, she huffed, "I've never seen them before, and they're definitely not your siblings. They look nothing like you! Are they friends or relatives or something like that?"

Tsuna stared, dumbfounded, at the girl before him. "Th-they're just some kids I'm t-taking care of now," he finally answered, quickly adding, "Why does it even matter?"

Haru sized him up, crossing her arms sternly. "Oh, I'll tell you why! If you're their babysitter, then you're doing a horrible job! First of all, you should never let kids play with weapons! Why would you give them exploding toys or guns? What is wrong with you?" the girl practically screeched, much to Tsuna's horror.

"I-I didn't-"

"Secondly!" Haru held up two fingers right in front of the boy's face, forcing his eyes to cross and follow the imposing hand in fright. "You let the kids fight each other and did nothing to stop them! I bet they learned all these naughty actions from you! How dare you impose your delinquent ways on them!"

"But-"

"And third!" She threw her arms out to the side, booming, "You let that precious little boy cry! How could you? And even after that, you didn't go help him! Your first priority should have been that little boy! You should have rushed to comfort the poor, innocent dear!" Haru glared at the shaken brunet. "You call yourself their babysitter, and yet you know nothing about caring for children! They're precious, perfect angels who need healthy influences and kind guidance, neither of which you are offering!"

There was a pause, and only then did Tsuna have a chance to gather his thoughts. He realized he had been gripping onto the pole to keep his shaking knees from buckling. That girl simply terrified him, and her rant gave him one hell of a first impression. Each time she directed the word "you" at him, Tsuna felt like he was being stabbed. Somehow, he knew if he wanted to get away, that momentary pause was his best bet. Haru looked ready to continue her tirade when Tsuna quickly blurted out, "I'm s-sorry," -although he really was not- "But I r-really have to go somewhere." He let go of the pole cautiously to make sure his legs were working before walking briskly forward, adding, "U-Um...bye."

Tsuna slipped past Haru as fast as his jelly legs could carry him, ignoring the demands from Haru to stop. The girl made no movement to follow him, fists curled angrily at her side. With one smooth movement, she turned around and backtracked Tsuna's steps to his house. She stood around the corner, weighing her options. Maybe she can directly confront the mother about her son's incompetence, or she can just offer her services, or-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught sight of a little baby, decked out in a stylish suit, leaving the house by himself. Immediately, she stopped and stared, eyes gleaming at the sight of the adorable child. She followed the baby with her eyes until another movement caught them, and Haru found herself looking at a trio of kids, two boys and one girl, leaving the house. Biting back a squeal, Haru watched the kids intently, catching bits of their conversation.

"Lambo!" A young girl yelled, "Don't leave house! Mama worry!"

"Gyahaha!" A boy with an afro answered, "I will follow Reborn and kill him today! Now that he's all alone, the great Lambo-san will destroy him! I-Pin and Futa can help me!"

The last boy, appearing to be the older of the three, followed quietly behind. "Lambo, we don't want to kill Reborn. It's not nice."

However, Lambo just scoffed, "Futa is just scared! Don't worry, the great Lambo-san will protect you!"

I-Pin and Futa had no choice but to follow the obstinate Lambo closely to make sure the rowdy child did not actually go making more trouble than he could handle.

From her hiding place, Haru was seething. Since she was young, she has always valued those who were younger than her and has treated them with all the delicacy one would with precious crystals. To her, children were darling cherubs who were completely pure of evil. Naughtiness was not to be blamed by their will, but by the corruption around them. Any person who negatively influences an impressionable child was a heinous criminal in Haru's eyes. Any person who fails to watch a child closely and protect them was worthless filth. Any person who dared to hurt a child…was beneath even filthy criminals.

Tsuna was no exception to her hatred.

Feeling pain in her hands, Haru glanced down and saw her fists clenched so tightly that her white knuckles were crowned by angry red. Immediately, she relaxed her fingers, waving off distant, numb memories threatening to surface.

Of course, she had no idea that her hatred and anger was misdirected, but she was blinded by her love for children. Somehow, Haru took it upon herself to watch over the kids for their little escapade, so she crept after them. "So the baby with the adorable suit is Reborn, the little calf is Lambo, the little girl is I-Pin, and the sweet boy is Futa," Haru muttered to herself, memorizing the names after eavesdropping just once.

If she had not, she would have been ashamed of herself.

At this moment, Haru really wished she had prepared a better outfit for sneaking around. Except she did not define it as sneaking around; she preferred calling it "being a guardian angel". Still, she at least brought her sunglasses with her, so she quickly slid them on. "Totally incognito," she muttered, following silently.

She had to stop short when Lambo suddenly screamed, "Gyah! Reborn disappeared! Where did he go?" I-Pin and Futa seemed relieved whereas Lambo ran around frantically, attempting to climb a telephone pole at one point to see from higher ground. Haru could not help herself at this point, and ran out.

"Do you kids need help?" she called out, smiling sweetly and removing her shades. The trio looked up, surprised at seeing a girl in a chick outfit.

Lambo's eyes dulled and he started to pick his nose, unimpressed. "Who's this old lady? Mama said not to talk to strangers."

"Lambo! Not nice!" I-Pin scolded, turning to Haru, "Sorry. Lambo did not mean that. Please forgive him." She bowed politely, earning a squeal from the teenage girl.

Laughing, she said, "My name is Haru Miura. Nice to meet you guys!"

Futa smiled at Haru as well, recalling her name within his rankings. He had looked ahead of time to see which individuals were kindest to children, and her place was third to the top. "I'm Futa. These are my friends, Lambo and I-Pin." He gestured to his companions, respectively, before continuing, "We lost our other friend, Reborn. You haven't seen a child in a suit, have you?"

Frowning, Haru replied, "No, I'm sorry. I'll help you find him though! Do you have any idea where he might be going?"

Lambo and I-Pin found themselves trusting Haru because Futa had. They were not going to question the ranking child, since he knew people better than anyone else. "Reborn follows Tsuna-nii everywhere. Tsuna-nii went to Kyoko-nee's house to pick her up for their date today! We don't know where her house is, but I think he was going to take her to Parfait downtown," Futa beamed, fingering his book fondly, remembering the ranking he gave to the couple yesterday.

Haru felt her eye twitch subconsciously. How dare that boy go on a date while he had children to watch? One of them had even went looking for him specifically! "Well, I know where Parfait is, so I'll take you there, ok?"

The kids nodded, following after her. Lambo cackled, "Gyahaha! Haru looks like one of those yummy, yummy marshmallows! Let's get sweets at the shop! Futa said there were yummy cakes there!" [3] Haru nodded joyfully, more than happy to indulge the children.

However, the kids would not see Reborn or Kyoko and Tsuna since the young boss was currently trying to control his breathing in front of the Sasagawa residence. Really, why was he so nervous? The Sasagawa siblings have become good friends of his in the past couple of weeks, and when Tsuna realized he could truly call Kyoko and Ryohei friends, his nervousness seemed to disappear a little.

That was, until he rang the doorbell and Kyoko's father came to the door.

Tsuna could have sworn that he had broken out into a cold sweat, and returned the man's cordial grin with a nervous smile. "Relax, Sawada-kun! You look like we're going to eat you!" Mr. Sasagawa laughed, turning around to call out to his daughter.

Kyoko appeared soon in an off-white, loose blouse with floral patterns embroidered around the edges and a pale pink bubble skirt. Ryohei appeared behind her, waving energetically. "Yo, Sawada! Good morning, to the extreme!"

A more genuine smile spread across Tsuna's face, and he greeted, "Good morning, Onii-san." His eyes were all for Kyoko though. The brunet could not help the slight blush rising to his cheeks after seeing the auburnette in the sweet outfit, and he added, "Good morning to you too, Kyoko-chan. Y-You look really nice today." His voice trailed off at the end, and he gazed nervously at the father to gauge his reaction to his words. Sasagawa-san simply laughed, "Don't be so nervous, son! Kyoko and Ryohei only have great things to say about you. Ryohei mentioned you were in his boxing club…?"

Kyoko groaned while Tsuna only chuckled nervously. Sasagawa-san nodded sympathetically, chuckling with the brunet. Although Ryohei seemed to resemble his father, with his mop of gray hair and neutral eyes, their demeanors were totally different. Tsuna wondered if Ryohei's sunny deposition was inherent to him exclusively, since he remembered Kyoko's mother as being very reserved as well.

Sasagawa-san suddenly turned serious, crossing his arms and looking Kyoko in the eyes. "Got your cellphone?"

The girl grinned, fishing it out of her purse. "Of course!"

"Money?"

"Mmhm!"

The father sighed, uncrossing his arms. "Keep your purse in sight at all times, and don't talk to strangers ok? Look both ways when you cross the street, and don't wander off from Tsuna!"

Kyoko nodded, and Ryohei jumped in with his own warnings. "Don't take candy from strangers, and don't eat a lot of sweets to the extreme, and if you see an old lady crossing the street, go help her out, and-"

"Ok, ok! I got that all!" Kyoko interrupted, silencing both males. She smiled, hugging them both quickly. "I love you, dad, Onii-chan! Thanks! I'll see you later!" She hooked her arm into Tsuna's, causing the brunet to burst out in blush. The auburnette took no notice, waving merrily to her family.

As the friends walked away, Tsuna heard Ryohei call out one last thing. "Sawada! Take care of Kyoko, to the extreme!"

Turning back one last time, a smile of certainty graced the brunet's face. "I will!"

Kyoko's bubbly attitude made it easy for the two to strike up small talk as they walked towards downtown. The auburnette had let go of the brunet's arm at one point, and Tsuna found himself secretly wanting her to keep her hold. Still, he was just content to be able to spend time with his beloved crush. A few weeks ago, this was but an impossible dream to him, his thoughts only plagued by nightmares of taking his own life. Now, his mind is full of the wonderful Kyoko Sasagawa.

"Oh yeah," Kyoko chirped as they were entering the main streets, "I didn't get a chance just now, but I wanted to say that you looked nice today as well, Tsuna-kun!"

Tsuna blinked in surprise, smiling, abashed. "I-I do?" Her nod reaffirmed her statement, and he stuttered, "T-Thanks, Kyoko-chan." His caramel eyes caught sight of their destination, and he pointed to the fancy shop sign, his blush only making his smile more radiant. "Here's Parfait! Want to go in?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Kyoko giggled, accepting Tsuna's gesture of opening the door for her. His smile widened when he saw the auburnette's eyes light up at the sight of the diverse selection of cakes, pastries, custards, puddings, tarts, and pies. Even he was entranced by some of the desserts that he had never seen before, like crème-brûlèe and pot de crème. Kyoko was clearly thrilled with the infinite assortment of cakes, and Tsuna could tell she was having difficulty choosing.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked casually, trying to see what she was looking at. She had squatted, staring intently at a row of desserts on the bottom shelf.

"Ah…I can't decide between the marble cake with whip cream or the apple de dulce cheesecake." She pointed at each one as she spoke. "Or maybe that crème-brûlèe, or that tiramisu…oh Tsuna-kun!" She turned to look at him, distress in her honey-chocolate eyes. "I can't pick!"

Tsuna could not help himself. He started to laugh softly, but not in an insulting manner. The girl blushed in embarrassment, and her companion reassured her, "Kyoko-chan, it's ok to eat more once in a while. L-Let's get them all, ok? I want to try this one too." He pointed at the pot de crème. "We will just keep this a secret from Onii-san, ok?"[4]

Laughing, Kyoko stood back up, smoothing out the bubble skirt. "Are you sure, Tsuna-kun?"

"Positive!" was his answer.

Finding that his mom had given him more money than he expected, Tsuna offered to pay for everything. Before, he would have been careful with his money, but it seemed like his mother had a very steady job, funded by the Vongola mafia family.

Tsuna tried not to think of the money from a potentially corrupted source.

It took a little arguing, but he won, triumphantly paying for their sweets. Kyoko vowed to pay him back later in some way. The brunet honestly did not care much, content with the happy ease he felt when he was with Kyoko. Admiring her from afar could never compare to actually being in her company and presence. He noticed little things about her, like how she tucks one side of her hair behind her ear before eating, how she taps a finger against her chin when listening to someone with her mouth full, and how she somehow digs into her cake without producing many crumbs.

"How do you do that?" Tsuna asked in surprise, finally getting over his embarrassment of sharing the marble cake with the auburnette after much insistence on her part. "Like, eating cake so neatly. I keep destroying this cake," he mumbled sheepishly.

A corner of Kyoko's mouth twisted up, and she teased, "It's a secret."

There. That crooked smile was something he never saw her give anyone else. Tsuna knew it probably was not reserved just for him, but he was happy to see this more devious and mischievous side to Kyoko that no one else saw at school.

After finishing the marble cake and tiramisu, the friends began to dig into the cheesecake. "You know, Tsuna-kun." Kyoko smiled as she spooned a small chunk of apple into her mouth. "I wanted to say how nice I thought it was that you took in Lambo-chan, I-Pin-chan, and Futa-chan like you did."

"A-Ah, that was my mom," Tsuna mumbled, blushing. "I'm just sorry you had to d-deal with their games yesterday." Calling almost falling and breaking bones a game was an understatement, but Tsuna was careful to reveal as little about the mafia world to Kyoko as he could.

"Oh no, it's fine. I'm sure they meant me no harm in the end. They're really sweet, once you get to know them." The auburnette ate another bite of cheesecake, chewing thoughtfully. "So what are they doing now?"

Tsuna also ate a bite, grimacing slightly from the memory from this morning. "Ah, Lambo was caught stuffing a ton of grape candy into his crazy afro. He's nuts, I tell you! I think mom is keeping them company today. Actually, I'm hoping she is. I have a feeling that they will get in a lot of trouble," he said, nervously glancing out the window, as if expecting someone to be there.

Haru and the kids could not have ducked fast enough. They had gotten to Parfait a long time ago and had been hiding inside a bush, ignoring the weird glances of the passersby as they spied on Tsuna and Kyoko's date. Tsuna could deny it all he wanted, but their outing looked more like a date than just friends hanging out. Lambo was in a foul mood since they had found Tsuna, but not Reborn.

"Stupid Tsuna! He didn't even lead us to Reborn! Stupid, stupid Tsuna!" he whined, earning disapproving glances from I-Pin and fueling Haru's growing dislike of the brunet. Twigs were messing up her hair, and the bush was very crowded for the four of them.

"I'm sure Reborn-chan will come if you're so sure that he is following Tsuna. We will just need to be patient for a little longer," Haru chirped optimistically, wanting to raise the childrens' spirits. Lambo seemed to consider her words for a moment before digging out another grape candy and popping it into his mouth.

"I want yummy yummy sweets from the shop," he mumbled irately, sucking on his candy loudly. Haru patted his head, and was about to reassure him when something crashed through the bushes, causing her to tumble out.

"Ow! What the...?" Haru rubbed her head, glaring at the bush to see what had shoved her, coming face to face with two boys. One of them seemed normal enough with his shock of charcoal hair, but the other had blindingly silver locks hanging, disheveled, over an angry face. The taller, black-haired one offered his hand to her, which she took roughly to stand herself back up. The other, the silverette, had his hard emerald eyes narrowed.

"What the hell? What were you doing in that bush?" the silverette snarled, crossing his arms.

"I could ask you very same question!" Haru seethed, crossing her arms as well. "Were you aware that there were kids in the bush too? You could have hurt them!"

"Haha, kids?" the other boy laughed, glancing at the bush as the trio of children emerged.

Lambo immediately went on the defensive, pointing rudely at the newcomers. "Ah! It's Stupidera and Baseball Freak!"

"What the-? What's the Stupid Cow doing here?" Gokudera hissed as he was held back by Yamamoto, who only laughed.

"Oh haha! All the kids came out to play today! But...I don't think we know you?" he turned inquisitively to Haru, a blank smile plastered on his face.

The girl curled her lips. "My name is Haru Miura. I'm helping these kids find Reborn-chan, and they thought that finding Dame-Tsuna would bring them to their friend! We were in the bush looking for Reborn!"

"Haha, the kid would be in the bush...?"

"Stupid woman!" the bomber growled, "Why would Reborn be in a bush? He's far too refined to stoop to your level of filth! And how dare you call our Juudaime by that insulting name!"

What, were they messed up in the head or something? Haru's mouth fell open, and she retorted, "What was that? How dare _you _call a lady like myself 'stupid!'" She raised her fingers in air quotations at the last word. "Who do you think you are?"

Drawing himself up with an air of intimidation and superiority, the silverette declared, "I'm Hayato Gokudera, the right-hand man of Tsunayoshi Sawada, who will become the tenth and greatest mafia boss in the history of the Vongola Family! This idiot..." He jerked his finger towards his smiling male companion. "Is Takeshi Yamamoto, a subordinate of our great Juudaime."

Every word rang perfectly in Haru's head, and she found herself seething again. "Mafia?" she hissed. "Wh-What," she sputtered, "I don't believe this! Of all the immature, irresponsible, dangerous things that boy can do, he makes them play mafia games? No wonder they had such dangerous weapons! And you're helping him!" Hysterically, she whirled on the two boys. "So what, you just let these precious kids play your stupid games? What would it take for you to realize that you're idiots for endangering them? When one of them shoots the other playing Russian Roulette?"

"I actually wouldn't mind it if I put a bullet through the stupid cow's head!" Gokudera retorted, eyes narrowed viciously at the girl before him. Neither Hayato nor Lambo hit off their relationship well, especially since the bomber had no intention of getting cozy with "Bovino manure" and Lambo thought the silverette was beneath him.

Lambo had heard his comment, and was quick to retaliate. "Stupidera! I'll blast you to bits!" He began to fish through his hair as Haru reared on Gokudera.

"See what you're doing to him? You repulse me!"

"Then get the hell out of here!"

"No! I'm staying to protect the kids from horrible influences like you and Dame-Tsuna!"

"Shut the hell up, stupid woman! Don't you dare insult Juudaime again!"

"Your head is sick with your disgusting mafia game!"

"Haha, hey guys?" Yamamoto suddenly cut in, although it seemed like neither person was ready to give up. "You guys are attracting a lot of attention. Wasn't this supposed to be a secret mission?" he laughed sheepishly, subtly gesturing to the crowd of onlookers.

"Wonder what's happening outside?" Kyoko suddenly commented, peering at the crowd gathered outside the window.

Tsuna turned to look, but whatever had captured the crowd's interest was covered from his view. He thought he saw someone familiar, but it was for a second. Taking the last bite of their desserts, Kyoko stood up with a smile. "Want to find out?"

Gokudera got a glance into the window and found that Tsuna and Kyoko had vacated their table, and the door opening sent him into a panic.

"Shit! Juudaime is coming!" he gasped, pulling Yamamoto and Haru back into the bush. They fell unceremoniously behind the shrubbery, with the kids following and screaming gleefully, thinking they were playing a game.

Kyoko tried to see around the crowd, but found nothing of interest there. People seemed immensely interested at the bush on the sidewalk, although nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Frowning, the auburnette turned to Tsuna. "Guess whatever was here is gone."

The brunet had his eyes focused on the bush, feeling a strange nagging in the back of his head. However, he chose not to pursue the thought and smiled at his companion instead. "Seems like it. So, where to next?" he asked, trailing off.

Honey hazel eyes lit up, and Kyoko started down the street. "I dunno. I'm content just walking around, you know? Maybe an idea will come to us," she laughed.

"Sure, sounds go-" The brunet suddenly stopped mid-sentence when an odd chill ran down his back. People on the street seemed to be parting to the side as an imposing figure, clad in black, strode down the street. A glittering gold-trimmed armband flashed in the sun, but everyone in town recognized the person from his face alone.

Blinking, the auburnette asked, "Hey, isn't that Hibari-san? His whole committee is with him too."

The brunet only nodded, gazing owlishly at the intimidating procession of Namimori Middle School's Disciplinary Committee. Hibari seemed more pissed than usual – if that was possible– and his team members were donned in their classic regent hairdo and black coats. They were clearly predators on the hunt, and Tsuna found himself fearing for whoever had irritated the prefect. Kyoya Hibari extended his disciplinary actions to the entire town at times if there was an issue huge enough for him to concern himself with.

As abrupt as they had come, they were gone. The atmosphere returned back to normal, and the two friends walked silently down the street, trying to shake thoughts of the committee from their heads.

Once the brunet and auburnette had gone, Gokudera ducked out of the bush, angrily picking leaves and twigs out of his clothes and hair. Yamamoto and Haru tumbled out as well, although the latter looked like she was ready to explode. She reasoned that she had yelled enough already and did not want the children to see her mad anymore. Anger would only provoke more anger. That was the only reason she did not launch into another tirade. She did not want to get caught anymore than the other two did, as they seemed to be there spying as well. Why else would they dive into the bush at the sight of Tsuna?

Lambo popped his head out of the bush, disappointed that whatever game they seemed to be playing was over. He looked down the street, noticing the Disciplinary Committee disappearing around the corner. Bright green eyes lit up in admiration, and the little Bovino found himself in awe of the group. Those guys looked super cool…although Lambo-san considered himself to be even cooler. But still! Curiously, the little child started to run after the group, but not without his companions noticing.

I-Pin called out, "Lambo, wait! Don't run off!"

As she took off after him, Futa cried, "Lambo! I-Pin! Where are you going?"

The brunette child's cry alerted the trio of teens about the kids, and they turned around to see Lambo run around the corner with I-Pin at his tail. Gokudera's eye twitched, and he bellowed, "Oi! Idiot cow! Get back here!"

"Jerk! Don't hurt his feelings!" Haru hissed, not giving another thought to the two males before running after the kids, Futa following closely.

Exasperated, Hayato ran a hand through his hair, picking out a twig he had missed. "God dammit! Baseball freak, we're going after them!"

"Huh?" Takeshi blinked as the bomber sped after Haru. "Weren't we watching Tsuna?"

"Idiot!" Gokudera stopped for a moment, turning around angrily. "Right now, that girl is more of a threat to Juudaime than anyone else! Did you hear those death threats coming from her mouth? She's bat-shit crazy!" He turned back around and continued to run.

Laughing, Yamamoto followed in suit, shouting, "Right right. This is turning out pretty interesting!"

At the opposite end of the street, Kyoko stopped and pulled Tsuna into a trinket shop of sorts, but what had caught her attention were the photo-booths that lined the wall on one side. Leading him over, she laughed, "I want to take some pictures to remember this day! I used to come here and take them with Onii-chan all the time. We would always pull these ridiculous expressions. Like this!" She pulled out her cellphone, but this time, Tsuna saw that she had mini photo-stickers plastered all over the empty spaces on her phone. All of them were of her and Ryohei, only younger. The photos were fading over time, but the ridiculously bright smiles and goofy faces shone through, something time could not erase. The brunet found it slightly hard to swallow as he looked at the photos, feeling like he was seeing something very precious at the moment, and feeling slightly jealous of the relationship that Kyoko and Ryohei share. What he would not have given to have had so much fun and love when he was younger.

Kyoko was studying Tsuna's face very carefully, noticing the array of emotions that flashed through. Gently, she took his hand and pulled him into the booth, giggling, "You want to take some too right? Have you ever done it before?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Tsuna blushed. "N-No. I haven't."

"Good. Then I'll teach you!"

Kyoko inserted the payment into the machine, and the screen of the booth came to life, blaring music and giving directions on what to do in a cutesy voice. Like an expert, Kyoko set up the photo-shoot before lining her companion and herself in view of the camera. She pointed at the screen, where their faces were in shown back to them. "This will show you how you will look in the photo before they take it. Once it starts counting down, be ready to take the picture!"

"Ok, let's go! Ten!" The voice chirped, and a number ten showed up on the screen.

"Smile!" Kyoko laughed, and curled her lips in mock anger when she saw Tsuna's face. "Come on, you can do better than that!"

"Nine! Eight!"

Tsuna's cheeks dusted in pink, and he tried to widen his flimsy smile.

"Seven! Six!"

"Gosh Tsuna-kun, you act like smiling hurts or something."

"Five! Four!"

The brunet gazed at the screen, seeing a joyful and laughing Kyoko next to him. Again, he felt like it was a dream to even be here, let alone taking a picture, with her. How everything had changed so much in a few weeks was beyond him.

"Three!"

But it was real. It was all real. He was standing here, feeling so at ease with someone that he was not able to utter a single coherent word to not so long ago.

"Two!"

So why would he not smile? He had every reason to.

"One!"

The camera clicked, and two radiant smiles were preserved on the screen for Kyoko and Tsuna to see. Nodding in approval, the auburnette grinned. "That's more like it!" She tugged on the brunet's arm, laughing, "Again!"

Meanwhile, Lambo continued down the street, wondering how such a group of people could vanish into thin air. He could have sworn that the entourage of cool-looking guys had gone down this way, but they were nowhere in sight. He scanned the streets suspiciously, his eyes catching a flutter of black clothing at the corner of an alleyway ahead. Quickly, he dashed to the source, not considering for a moment that the movement had been too close to the ground to have belonged to one of the tall males.

Not that it would matter, for when he turned the corner, he found the person he had been looking for all day long.

"Gyahahaha! Reborn! You're mine now!" Lambo screamed at the sight of the baby hitman.

Reborn turned around in disgust, although his fedora did well to hide his face. He had been avoiding Lambo all day because he had no desire to deal with the rowdy child. What Bianchi had told him about the yakuza had bothered him, so he had meant to go out and survey the situation himself while his student was distracted with his outing with Kyoko. In fact, he was following two members of this particular gang, and would have continued his spying if Lambo had not burst in. He needed to silence the cow child before his cover was blown.

Suddenly, Leon transformed into a gun and Reborn shot a bullet right at Lambo, hitting the young Bovino in the forehead. Blood splattered and Lambo pitched backwards, unconscious.

"That should keep him down for a few hours," Reborn snorted, but immediately froze. His onyx eyes stared into the alleyway where he detected just the smallest noise, and in an instant, the hitman had dived behind a trash can without so much as a sound.

His efforts were wasted when I-Pin suddenly popped into the alleyway, earning her a shock when she saw Lambo collapsed with blood coming from his forehead. She immediately checked his pulse, and relief crossed her face when she felt his heart-beating. Lambo started to snore, which further confirmed her suspicions about what happened.

"Reborn-san?" she called into the alleyway. At this point, Futa and Haru had shown up. Futa cried out in alarm, but seemed to have come to the same conclusion as I-Pin within moments, scanning the alleyway for any sign of the hitman.

Haru had frozen at the sight of Lambo, eyes widening. Memories she had locked away started to trickle through her mind, and she fell to her knees, seeing something completely different before her.

"Yuuto?" she breathed, reaching out towards Lambo. The kids paused, confused by Haru's suddenly change in behavior. The young Bovino suddenly let out a loud snore, and the girl snapped out of her trance, chocolate eyes refocusing on the scene before her. Instantly, she checked Lambo for his vital signs before gingerly feeling the wound on his head. She took a handkerchief and began to general dab away the small stream of blood on his forehead. "What happened? I-Pin? Futa?" she asked, trying to figure out where the wound had come from.

I-Pin and Futa exchanged glances, not sure what to tell her.

"Maybe Lambo ran into a wall?" Futa suggested.

"Rock hit head?" I-Pin offered.

Haru did not tell them that neither of their guesses sounded remotely reasonable as she was shocked once again. She was carefully wiping off the blood around the wound when she realized…there was no wound. After cleaning off all the blood, it became blatantly clear that Lambo had not sustained any wound that could have caused that much blood to flown out. His forehead was flawless.

She rubbed a finger over the once-bloody area, hardly believing it. "What the…?"

"Oi, you, kids over there." A rough voice of a man suddenly called out, alerting Haru and the children of his presence. Immediately, everyone was at attention, as there were three men approaching them, all of whom did not look like regular passersby. Reborn calmly evaluated the situation from his hiding place, but was definitely not pleased with the mistake he had just made. Those were the yakuza he had been tracking.

Immediately, Haru stepped in front of Lambo, glaring condescendingly at the mobsters. "I happen to be a lady."

"Wasn't talking to you, girl," one of the men sneered, cracking his knuckles. The teenage girl seemed unimpressed, not wavering in the slightest. She gritted her teeth against the onslaught of memories of this all too familiar situation.

"You kid, right there." One of them pointed a stubby finger straight at Futa. "You're that Ranking kid right? That Futa de la Stella guy?"

The young brunet froze, eyes flickering to the side to avoid looking at the men. They all burst out into malicious grins before approaching the four again. "Looks like our lucky day, to have run into Ranking Futa!" One of them laughed.

Haru glared at the three men, remaining stalwart. She was at a clear disadvantage, especially with three children to protect. However, she had no intention of letting them get hurt, so she at least had to try to guard them, as poor as her odds were.

"Move aside, little girl," the first yakuza ordered, moving to shove Haru away. Reborn cocked his gun, ready to fight. However, before he could, Haru had lashed out and grabbed the man's arm and shoulder, pulling him off balance. With a sweep of her leg, she slammed him into the ground, and ducked to avoid the punch one of his companions immediately threw at her.

Reborn's onyx eyes widened as he watched Haru, a smirk growing on his face. It was one interesting person after another here in Namimori. I-Pin seemed to be impressed as well, recognizing a judo leg-sweep when she saw one. [5]

"Run! Get away from here!" Haru shouted at the kids, dodging a kick. Both kids seemed to be worried for the girl, and could not bring themselves to listen.

"You little bi-" One of the mobsters tried to grab her, but Haru silenced him with a punch to the face, stopping him mid-word.

"Watch your mouth," she snarled, dodging a swift haymaker punch thrown at her. She was about to step in for another punch when the guy she had downed with the judo sweep grabbed her ankle, causing her to lose her balance. As she pitched forward, one of the men had his fist ready, slamming it into her stomach. Haru let out a yelp of pain before doubling over, breathless, losing consciousness quickly.

"Haru-san!" I-Pin cried out, and was about to start fighting if not for a cry of surprise from Futa. She turned just in time to see the Ranking child fall limp in the yakuza's arms, a white cloth pressed over his nose. She hesitated to make a move, quickly trying to formulate a plan in her head. Before she could however, the other yakuza had stood back up, covering I-Pin's face with a cloth as well.

"Sweet dreams, little girl," he cackled as the poignant numbing odor of chloroform flowed through I-Pin's head. She drooped in his hold, and Reborn suddenly realized he had to intervene. He was foolish for letting it drag on as it did, but he had not wanted the teenage girl to see his abilities.

"What the hell happened here?" A voice suddenly filled the alley with the arrival of Gokudera and Yamamoto, who were gaping at the scene before them.

The yakuza grabbed I-Pin and Lambo by their collars, hoisting them up while his comrade kept a hold on Futa's unconscious form. The third man slung Haru over his shoulders, snarling, "Dammit, we don't have time for this shit!" He withdrew something from his jacket and tossed it at the ground without another word. Smoke exploded from the object, quickly filling the alleyway with dusty clouds of filth. Reborn shot into the smoke, but only heard his bullet hit a wall. Boy, did he really screw up.

Hayato and Takeshi gasped, retreating from the alley as smoke billowed out. Out on the street, alarmed cries of "Smoke!" and "Fire!" erupted everywhere, and a crowd was quick to form. The two teens tried to see through the filth to find Haru and the kids, but it was too thick to discern anything. Soon afterwards, Reborn dashed out from the alley, immediately grabbing the attention of the two young mafiosos.

"Oi. Gokudera and Yamamoto! We need to find Tsuna immediately and get going!" he urgently pressed, immediately jumping on Yamamoto's shoulder. "Hurry!"

Without a question, the two burst back down the way they had gone, desperate to find their boss.

Tsuna and Kyoko stepped out of the photo-booth, waiting for their new photos to print out. Almost unable to contain her excitement, she snatched them up as soon as the machine pushed it out of the slot. Tsuna looked over her shoulder to see their pictures, laughing at some of their funny faces.

"You know, I think the first one was the best of them all," Kyoko commented, pointing at said photo. Both of them had their heads inclined towards the other, nothing but pure mirth in their beaming eyes and smiles. A frame of kitties surrounded them, but Tsuna thought it worked well for them. He rather loved little felines. The brunet nodded in agreement, and Kyoko started to peel off that particular sticker. "Gimme your phone."

"Eh?" Tsuna quickly understood what she wanted and handed over his cellphone, and she placed the sticker on the back of it, perfectly centered.

"There! That's to start off your collection! Go to these more often with you friends and keep adding to it!" Kyoko beamed at the brunet, and he felt a blush swirling on his cheeks again.

"Thanks, Kyoko-chan." He returned her beam with a grin, feeling a surge of courage. "I don't think I have you phone number yet…"

The auburnette took out her cellphone, holding it out to him. "Then by all means, let's exchange!"

After giving each other their numbers, Kyoko peeled off a duplicate of the sticker that she had given to Tsuna and placed it on an empty space on her phone. "Alright, there are just a few things I want to get before we go!" The brunet watched as Kyoko ran around the shop, picking up various little accessories, trinkets, and string bags. He watched quizzically as she paid for the items and went back to him. "Ok! Let's go somewhere else!"

No sooner had they left the shop did Gokudera and Yamamoto come running up. The brunet and auburnette greeted them in surprise, especially when Reborn immediately spoke up. "Tsuna, something urgent came up. We have to go right now. No buts," Reborn interrupted when it seemed like Tsuna was about to protest. "Now."

Caramels met onyx, and Tsuna felt his stomach sink. He really did not want to deal with whatever Reborn is asking him to do, but he was more afraid of refusing. Turning to Kyoko, he sheepishly ran a hand through his hair. "A-Ah Kyoko-chan…I'm really sorry. I have to go with Reborn. I'm really sorry!"

He did not want to get her involved but did not want to leave her alone either. Yamamoto seemed to have sensed it, and laughed.

"I'll stay here with Kyoko. My arm is still healing anyways, so I should just let it be, haha," he offered, smiling at his friends. Tsuna seemed to relax considerably, but felt sick thinking that whatever Reborn was dragging him into required effort that Yamamoto could not put forth. He turned to Kyoko for approval.

The auburnette frowned slightly. "What's going on, Reborn-chan?" She was not deterred. "This is about the mafia game right? I can't join in?"

"No!" Tsuna immediately replied, feeling the uncomfortable sinking in his stomach again. When her eyes showed hurt, he quickly added, "R-Reborn sounded pretty s-serious, so I j-just thought…well…" Just like that, any kind of ease he had was gone and he was back to a stuttering mess. Improvisation was just too hard. Luckily, Yamamoto came to the rescue again.

"The kid said this was a pretty urgent matter, so I think you should get going as soon as possible, Tsuna! Don't worry. Kyoko will be fine with me." Takeshi flashed a reassuring smile to his boss and the brunet reluctantly nodded.

Reborn jumped from Yamamoto's shoulder to his student's and pressed, "Hurry Tsuna." He gazed expectantly at Gokudera, who took the signal to go.

"Follow me, Juudaime." Hayato rushed off, and Tsuna definitely knew something was wrong if his feisty friend was being so curt with his actions.

The two ran off, leaving the baseball star with the auburnette. Kyoko watched them leave with suspicious and impatient eyes. Once they were out of sight, she turned to Yamamoto, a fighting spark in her eyes. "Take me to them."

Smiling sheepishly, Yamamoto replied, "Tsuna asked me to keep you compan-"

"Yamamoto-kun, please take me to them," she interrupted curtly.

Yamamoto sighed with an uneasy smile. This was going to be hard.

In record time, Gokudera had taken Tsuna back to the alley, which had cleared of the smoke, but was now surrounded by hoards of policemen. Tsuna peered into the alleyway, noticing a small object on the ground that the police had marked with a number and were currently inspecting.

Hayato, recognizing the object instantly, snorted in disgust. "Figures. It was a smokescreen. And it wasn't one of those cheap ones either. Whoever those guys were, they knew what they were doing."

Reborn slipped past the caution tape, avoiding the attention of the officers. Tsuna fought the urge to yell out, trusting that the baby hitman knew what he was doing. Instead, he turned to Gokudera, asking, "W-What happened, Gokudera-kun? What guys? Why is there a smokescreen bomb here?"

"Those brats were looking for Reborn or something." The silverette ran a hand through his hair, skirting around the question. "There was also some crazy girl named Haku or whatever that went insane over everything."

"Huh? Haru?" Tsuna gasped, "What was she doing with the kids?"

Shrugging, the bomber replied, "Beats me. She claimed she was watching over them, but it looked more like she was spying. But." He paused, a brief flash of regret in his eyes. "Lambo ran off, and the other two brats, plus that stupid woman, chased after him. I felt that she could not be trusted, so I went after her, in case she was a danger to you. The baseball freak followed after me. When we finally found them, they were…well…" He stopped, emeralds hardening.

"Well w-what, Gokudera-kun?" The brunet pressed.

"I have no idea what they were doing, but all four of them were unconscious, and these three guys carried them all away after escaping with a smokescreen. Reborn was already here, and said we had to find you." Hayato whirled on Tsuna, bowing his head deeply. "I failed to keep those brats safe! I am sorry Juudaime!"

Tsuna gaped, dumbfounded at the silverette. His eyes turned back to the alleyway, heart beating furiously. "H-How did this…we have to go help them!" he cried out, caramel eyes frantically scanning the alleyway. Lambo…I-Pin…Futa! Futa was a target by so many mafiasos, and Tsuna had agreed to protect him. And Haru! Deep in the back of his head, Tsuna could not help but feel that she had been right about him being irresponsible. He knew the kids, especially Lambo, were troublemakers who were bound to bite off more than they can chew; they were not ordinary kids, having been raised in the mafia since their birth. Strong as they might be for their age, they were simply no match for three adult men.

But never in his imagination could he have thought they would get themselves kidnapped!

Reborn had slipped past the police who were studying the smokescreen and must have found something of interest because he started gesturing to Tsuna and Gokudera. Despite knowing better, the young boss ducked under the police tape, his subordinate closely behind. He could vaguely hear a police officer calling out to them, but did not stop until he was with Reborn. On the ground was a single piece of grape candy, still in its colorful wrapper. It was identical to the ones that Lambo had hoarded that morning, and Tsuna's eyes went wide in realization.

"There is another over there." Reborn pointed with a knowing smile.

Nodding, Tsuna took off running and Reborn hopped onto his shoulder, with Gokudera close behind. All three were scanning the ground for more candy as two policemen gave chase. Tsuna found that the trail had suddenly stopped, but Gokudera pointed into a side alley. "Juudaime, there's one going down this one!"

As they veered into the side alley, the police stopped their pursuit. One of them leaned against a wall, panting. His eyes travelled down to the ground, spying a grape candy on the ground. He bent down to pick it up, running the round candy between his fingers curiously. "Grape candy?"

"There's one over here too," the other officer commented, backtracking. He glanced back the way they came, noticing more scattered throughout. "There appears to be a trail. Maybe those kids dropped them?"

"I doubt it. These candies are really dusty. It looks more like they were following the trail." His eyes lit up, and he gasped, "You don't think…?"

Standing up abruptly, the other policeman started to run back. "We better get back and report this. We might have found the path to the culprit who deployed that smoke bomb."

As they made their way back, Kyoko had come to the scene with a reluctant Yamamoto. She turned expectantly to Yamamoto, waiting for him to explain. But he did not need to.

One of the officers came back, holding up the sweet. "Hey Chief! We found this trail of grape candy just now. We think there's reason to believe that it will lead to the culprit. Requesting permission to follow right now."

Kyoko heard the policemen's words, and remembered Lambo's five minute speech about his love of grape candy. It did not take long to put one and one together, and she ducked under the tape and ran down the alley as well.

"Wait, Kyoko!" Yamamoto cried out, immediately following. The police chief watched them, dumbfounded that yet another couple of kids got past his guard. "Hurry and follow them! I'm willing to bet they have the same idea as those kids before."

"Yes sir!" The policemen saluted.

As the police started from the beginning again, Tsuna found that the trail had abruptly ended in the back alley of a row of buildings. He gazed around at the various buildings, wondering if the men had gone into one of them. Reborn hopped off his student's shoulder, walking down the path as he looked up at the signs. When he found the one he was looking for, he smirked and called out, "Oi. You two. It's this one."

The brunet and silverette dashed forward, finding themselves gazing up at a newspaper publishing company. "Reborn, how did you know?" Gokudera asked, eyes narrowing as he appraised the building.

"Bianchi has been investigating the rise of activity amongst the yakuza in Namimori. One of the gangs is supposedly residing in this location. Bianchi has yet to make a house call here, so I suppose we will have to do it ourselves." Something about the way he said that sent shivers down both of the teens' backs.

"W-Wait, Reborn, what do you mean?" Tsuna choked, his determination dissipating quickly. "Y-You want us to fight with the y-yakuza? A-Are you insane?" The last part came out a feeble squeak, greatly irking the hitman.

The baby hitman tilted up his fedora, flashing a cold stare at his student. "Are you saying you are going to abandon that girl and the kids? Did you know the yakuza were after Futa? He asked you to protect him, and you have failed. And now you want to run?"

Reborn's words cut more deeply than Tsuna expected. The brunet's face said it all, betraying the hurt and shame he felt. Trembling, the young boss shook his head, reaching for the doorknob. "I-I'm not running…but…" He looked desperately to his companions. "I don't think that I ca-"

"What are you spewing from your mouth, Dame-Tsuna? You're my student. Of course you can do it," Reborn quipped.

"I'll be right by your side, Juudaime! You won't be alone!" Hayato reassured him.

Even their encouraging words could not convince him, but Tsuna knew he had no choice in the matter. Nervously, he opened the door and the three stepped into the dark building, and for a moment Tsuna thought they had the wrong place. However, a flight of stairs were illuminated by a ghostly lamp overhead in the back of the room. Reborn toddled over to them, the teens close behind. Their soft footsteps echoed in the eerie darkness, and Tsuna resisted the urge to jump and squeal each time they took a step. At the top, they heard voices, turning to the source. A door was left ajar at the end of the hall with a dull light streaming out. The trio softly walked over, hearing a cacophony of voices conversing.

"-rything ready then?"

"Yeah, we got the brat now. We just have to deliver him to the boss now."

"Aw, can't we keep him a little longer? He can give us some good rankings on ways to make money. We can use a little more right now, ya know."

"Man you're stupid. The sooner we hand him over, the sooner we get paid. That's so much easier."

"I can't believe our luck, to get our hands on Ranking Futa! The Seventh Street gang is going to flip!"

"Then what do we do about the others?"

"The other brats? I dunno. They sawthe faces of the Three Stooges. It's not like we can just let them go."

"Oi! Not our fault!"

"Yeah it was, you dumbasses!"

"Well maybe if-"

Reborn was getting tired of Tsuna and Gokudera just listening in on the gang, so he kicked the door open, revealing the two teens who were eavesdropping. All conversation ceased, every pair of eyes on the newcomers.

The first thing Tsuna noticed was that there were more than three people. Way more. There were at least fifteen grown men in the room, all leering at him. Then he saw the kids tied up and gagged in the corner with Haru, who seemed to have awoken. Her eyes lit up in surprise when she saw Gokudera and Tsuna at the door, but they quickly flooded with horror when she noticed Reborn. Something akin to a muffled shriek arose from her, but one of the gang members took it as resistance and slapped her, telling her to be quiet. Tsuna cringed at the action, feeling numb with cold anger. "D-Don't do that to her!" he shouted just as reality hit him.

He was in a room full of yakuza, probably all armed and definitely stronger than him. They also had four hostages.

There was absolutely no chance of him winning, even with Gokudera, and he was fairly certain that Reborn would not pull out all his stops here.

"Who the hell are you guys?" one of the men shouted, getting up from his couch. Tsuna gulped, taking a step back. He tried to respond, but nothing came from his mouth anymore. The gang started to roar with laughter.

"Oh man, is this supposed to be a rescue attempt?"

"Bwahaha, this is rich!"

"Dude, one of them looks like a light breeze could knock him over!"

"And they brought a baby along? What were they thinking?"

Gokudera's mind was going at light speed, calculating the odds of the various courses of action the three of them could take. The gang was underestimating Reborn and Tsuna, which will work to their advantage. They had the element of surprise, but they had to have a plan first. He could not stop the snarl coming from his throat when they insulted his boss, but concentrated on his plotting. There was only one way to take them all out at once without leaving room for mistakes. He reached into his coat for his cigarettes, but found nothing there. Eyes widening, he checked another pocket, but his smoke sticks were definitely not there. Then it hit him.

Yamamoto.

"I'm going to murder that baseball freak!" he roared, catching the gang off guard for a moment. Tsuna flinched, unsure as to why his companion had a sudden bloodlust for the baseball star.

Reborn curled his lips, understanding the bomber's outburst. Although Gokudera was not weak, he was at a significant disadvantage without his dynamite. Honestly, if he wanted to, Reborn can take out the whole gang and clean up his mess in the blink of an eye. However, more problems than solutions would arise from that, and the hitman would miss an opportunity to give Tsuna real experience in the field. His ears perked, and the baby hitman turned his attention to the door for a second before turning back to the teens, saying, "Oi, Tsuna, you have to fight."

The yakuza who first spoke started walking over to the teens, drawling, "Look kids, we're on a strict schedule. You knew what you were getting into by coming here right?" He smiled maliciously as he drew out a gun, cocking it and pointing it straight at Tsuna, who let out a soft gasp. As the brunet stared down the barrel of the firearm, all thoughts vanished from his mind. Nothing but cold fear filled his head, and the chill spread throughout his body, freezing him. It was nothing like the time when Reborn pointed his gun at him; Tsuna knew this firearm was loaded to kill.

Quick as lightning, Gokudera grabbed his boss, swinging him out of the way as the man pulled the trigger. The gun exploded, missing the brunet's head by a good foot. Haru let out a scream, although the gag muffled it. Tsuna slammed into the wall beside him, sliding down to the ground in shock. Reborn watched indifferently as Gokudera grabbed the yakuza's arm and bent it back, eliciting a cry of pain. The gun fell from his hands, and the silverette grabbed it immediately, kicking the man in the stomach and sending him tumbling back. Smoothly, he cocked it and aimed it at the man. Everyone who had been pulling out weapons froze, and the bomber knew he had hit the mark.

"Do anything, and your boss dies," the bomber drawled, keeping his aim steady at the man's heart. "Trust me when I say I won't miss." Tsuna's eyes widened, and he got shakily back to his feet.

"N-No, don't, Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna whimpered, caramel eyes darting between the yakuza boss and the gun.

The room was silent until the yakuza started to shuffle, withdrawing their knives and firearms again.

The yakuza boss cried out, "You idiots! He's going to kill me! What the fuck do you guys think you're doing?"

"Come on," one of the men snorted, "You honestly think we would choose you over our pay day? It's one kid against all of us. If he's going to take out one person, we're glad it's not us."

Gokudera's mouth dropped open, and he snarled in unbridled fury, "You fucking bastards would abandon your boss?"

Suddenly, one of the men grabbed Gokudera from behind so quickly that Tsuna could not warn his companion, and the brunet found his own arms jerked behind him as well. Both teens were restrained and slammed into the ground by two large men, and the whole gang started to laugh again. Tsuna smashed his nose into the ground and cried out in pain. Metallic smell filled his nostrils, and something warm dripped down from them. Hayato grinded his teeth angrily, fighting against the strong hold of the yakuza.

Tsuna was panicking. What was wrong with him? He did not do anything to help Gokudera at all when the silverette was risking his life to protect him. Haru and the kids were helpless in the corner, and he did not even try to reason with the gang for their safety. He squeezed his eyes shut, resisting the urge to cry in frustration.

He thought he had changed. He thought he was no longer Dame-Tsuna. He thought that maybe he had gained the courage to stand up to others if it meant the welfare of his friends.

But there was a huge difference between dealing with murderous yakuza and setting a school bully straight. There was a difference between being held at gunpoint and saving a friend from falling off the school building. There was a difference between the world of the mafia and his life at school. Tsuna was deluding himself into thinking that he could possibly change so much as to overcome that massive boundary. He opened his caramel eyes, blinking back tears that threaten to spill, still determined to hold onto his feeble hope.

Something shot into the room at this point, and blood splattered as the yakuza restraining Tsuna suddenly let go. Another cry of pain sounded and Gokudera's oppressor fell to the side, sporting a bloody nose. Both teens scrambled up to see who their savior was. Tsuna found his breath catching in his throat, although he did not know whether it was out of fear or relief.

Kyoya Hibari stood imposingly in the middle of the room, poised casually with his tonfas. His steel cold eyes surveyed the room as he yawned lazily. "Only seventeen of you? Guess I'm in the wrong place. Still, degenerates are degenerates." He raised his tonfas, absolute bloodlust emitting from him. "I will bite you all to death."

"H-Hibari-san?" Tsuna squeaked, caramels widening. His nose was throbbing dully, and the brunet was sure that it was broken. Gokudera scoffed, getting back to his feet quickly, helping his boss up as well. The whole room was silent now, as everyone knew who Kyoya Hibari was and just how strong the teenager was.

The prefect did not even acknowledge them, turning to Reborn instead. "Infant. Fight me after this."

Reborn smirked, "We'll see."

Like a dark demon, Hibari swept through the room, downing each opponent in one hit. Blood flew in all directions with each strike of his tonfas, and the yakuza began to back off. Tsuna watched in awe and horror, biting his lip in shame. Hibari was so strong, and he was so weak. He was sure the prefect did not even have the intention of rescuing the captives, but he was easily disposing of the yakuza.

In the corner, one of the men grabbed Haru by her ponytail, and she released a muffled yelped. The man shouted, "Oi!" He withdrew his gun, pointing it to her head. "S-Stop, or I will shoot her!"

Hibari actually stopped his attack, eyes narrowing dangerously. The man gulped, pressing the gun harder against Haru's head. The girl had frozen, eyes wide and shaking. It was just like last time. She was completely helpless to do anything. She could not help the tears that streamed down her eyes. She was useless, just as she was useless those many years ago.

Shocked by Haru's tears, Tsuna found himself shouting involuntarily. "L-Let her go!"

The men were surprised to hear the small brunet speak again. Tsuna had his fists curled at his side, and a certain stalwart resolution had crossed through his expression. One of the yakuza sighed, cracking his knuckles as he approached the brunet. "What was that, pipsqueak?"

He wanted to shrink back in fear so badly. But he did not. Something urged him on, and Tsunayoshi stood his ground. "L-Let her go. Let them all go! They are all p-people, and precious friends to me! Treating them like this…I-I won't stand for it!" He no longer had any control over the words spewing from his mouth. "I promised Futa that I would keep him safe! A-And I want I-Pin and Lambo to have more normal childhoods! And H-Haru doesn't even have anything to do with this, yet she was dragged in!" His fists shook as the yakuza laughed at his naivety.

"Man, this one just doesn't get it, does he?" The man chortled, raising a fist up.

"Juudaime!" Hayato shouted, ready to rush to his aid, but Reborn grabbed his pants leg.

"Wait, Gokudera." The infant smiled.

Haru's tearstained eyes watched in fear, and she her mind screamed out at the yakuza. She suddenly felt remorse for having been so vicious to the brunet. If he had not cared, he would not be standing there with a broken nose and an inch from being pummeled to the ground. Heatedly, she glared at the yakuza, cursing him spitefully with all she had. The man drew back his fist and grabbed Tsuna's shirt. Haru felt a chill run through her as the man released his fist, straight for the brunet's face.

The yakuza blinked, his vision blurring for a moment. How did the brat's head move so fast to the side? He redirected his punch towards his left, where Tsuna's head had shifted.

The brunet closed his eyes, anticipating the pain, but it never came. He felt air speed past his right ear and felt the man release the hold on his shirt. He opened his eyes in shock, gaping at how the yakuza's fist had completely missed him.

The yakuza, however, was grinning in triumph, as he saw how he had just floored the brunet, who was now lying unconscious, his face a bloody mess.

The whole room went silent at the scene, gaping at the incredible miss. Hibari watched the scene suspiciously, eyes narrowing at the brunet. Reborn smirked, glancing at Haru, who seemed distressed. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face in rivers as the mobster who delivered the punch started to laugh. "Haha, stupid brat! You brought this on yourself!"

"Dude, what the hell are you talking about? He's standing right there!" One of his companions shouted, pointing at the flabbergasted brunet. Haru's eyes snapped open, and she took in Tsuna's form, very much standing and conscious. She blinked once, her eyes unbelieving. That was impossible! She saw Tsuna try and dodge, only to be hit full in the face, and he was supposed to be bleeding out on the ground, unconscious…

"Tsuna, quit daydreaming." Reborn suddenly called out, "Fight!"

The movement of him shooting the brunet was so fast and clean that not a single pair of eyes caught the motion. The brunet pitched backwards, falling with a loud thud. Everyone glanced at each other, trying to figure out what had just happened. There was a gunshot, but no visible wound on the brunet. Haru barely had time to be shocked when a fluorescent flame suddenly whipped to life on Tsuna's head, and his clothes burst off of his body, leaving him in a pair of black boxers.

In one fluid motion, the brunet leapt up, grabbing his assailant by his jacket. He brought up a fist, ready to unleash it. There was a moment's reluctance, and Reborn shouted, "Tsuna! No hesitation! Remember why you fight!"

This was not school. He could not get away with just yelling in this seasoned yakuza's face. Not when they were armed with knives, guns, and killing intent. No, he had to do more. If he did not do everything in his power to help his friends, the regret would forever haunt his death.

"I fight for my friends!" The brunet roared, "I will protect them with my dying will!"

Spurred on by his tutor's words, he slammed his fist into the yakuza's gaping face. The mobster flew back, colliding into one of his companions behind him. Before any of the men could begin to comprehend the situation, Tsuna had sped forward to where the Haru was and kicked the man who had been threatening her in the side of his head, causing him to smash into the wall.

It was over so fast. Hibari scoffed, resuming his onslaught. Between the two of them, the yakuza stood no chance. The dark skylark and blazing inferno were too overwhelming for the mobsters, and soon the ground was littered with piles of unconscious and bleeding men.

Tsuna stood panting, the flame still burning bright as ever. Kyoya appraised the brunet with interest before holding his tonfas up. "You. Herbivore. Fight me."

The brunet seemed ready to attack when Reborn suddenly intervened. "No, Kyoya Hibari. You cannot fight him at this moment." He did not shrink under the furious glare from the prefect as he continued. "I will be paying you a visit later. We will fight then. There are a few things I need to discuss with you." The hitman tutor looked over his student, smirking. It all worked out in the end, but Reborn promised himself to polish up on his rusty skills, and Hibari was the perfect target dummy for practice.

The prefect showed no signs of acknowledging the hitman's offer, but it seemed Tsuna's limit had been reached. The flame slowly trickled away, and the brunet collapsed on the ground in a tired heap. Gokudera immediately rushed to his boss's side, supporting him so he could sit up. The brunet's breathing came out in uncomfortable wheezes as he gingerly fingered his broken nose.

"Juudaime, that was incredible!" Hayato breathed, to which Tsuna only nodded. He lolled his head over to Haru, who was watching him incredulously. Turning back to Gokudera, Tsuna simply gestured towards her, and the silverette understood. He held his boss to the corner. Tsuna removed the gag from her mouth, but Haru did not utter a peep. She watched as the brunet slowly tried to undo the knots of the rope constricting her hands and legs. Gokudera started to cut the ropes binding the children, clicking his tongue in annoyance when Lambo started to snore loudly.

When all gags and ropes were finally removed, Tsuna slumped back down on his bottom, panting in exhaustion. His tired caramel eyes meant Haru's chocolate orbs, and he mumbled, "I'm…sorry. A-Are you o-"

"I was wrong about you," Haru blurted out, catching Tsuna off guard. She continued, "I thought you were heartless and irresponsible, only caring about yourself. But now I see that you are not what I judged you to be. Everyone makes mistakes. I should know that better than anyone." She fisted a hand in her lap, the other wiping away salty tears. "It was wrong of me to be so rude to you, so I'm the one who should be sorry." Tsuna watched on in shock as she blushed.

"Tsuna-san, you were so brave just now! How you stood up against so many of those thugs despite all odds being against you was stunning. It was even more incredible how you managed to defeat them so easily, even if the stripping was too strange for my tastes. It's like you completely transformed! It was almost poetic!" Her eyes shined with admiration.

Even Tsuna was too tired to worry about his current appearance. It seemed like choosing a pair of simple black boxers had been a good idea after all. Footsteps sounded from the hall, but no one seemed to take notice. Haru continued, "Proclaiming that you would protect your friends with your dying will is something you only hear in movies, but it sounded so right when you said it! You have earned more than just my respect, Tsuna-san!"

Haru leaned in closer, beaming. "You have my love!"

At that moment, Yamamoto and Kyoko appeared at the doorway, just in time to hear Haru's last words. The auburnette widened her eyes in surprise at the scene, but mostly at Tsuna being half-naked with a pretty girl hovering just over him.

"Tsuna-kun?" she called out timidly and the brunet immediately turned around, despite his head going dizzy from the sudden movement.

Gasping, he stuttered, "K-Kyoko-chan?"

Hibari scowled, turning on his heel to leave, declaring, "I hate crowding." He swept past the newcomers, disappearing down the hall silently, leaving an uncomfortable silence in the air.

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><p><strong>Man, I ate so many Orange Icebreakers while writing this. Give me a pack of those and I just eat his suckers by the handful.<strong>

**Proofreading this was a nightmare. It took me two hours to get through it! I swear when I did the read through, I found a ton of extra, unnecessary words that I DID NOT see the first few times I read through parts, so I was wondering where they came from… **

**I rewrote several parts of this chapter so many times: the scene at the beginning with Gokudera and Yamamoto, the scene in the alley, and the final fight scene with the yakuza. I'm personally not sure how I liked the outcome…please review and tell me what you thought! I'd greatly appreciate it.**

**Also, can you tell that I had a field day writing Haru? I honestly dislike this character so much, so I decided to make her into a comical, more likeable character. Let me know if I succeeded~ ;D And as for her history…hum I won't reveal that quite yet.**

**[1]** **As you all probably know, Tsuna is represented by the number 27. I basically incorporated the explanation of that number into why he likes it. Not highly original, but it was fun to write.**

**[2] This outfit is loosely based on a picture I found in the Reborn! Colore artbook Amano-sensei published. I love that thing to pieces. I carry it around in my backpack LOL. –smacked-**

**[3] PEEEEEEEEEPS. 'Nuff said.**

**[4] Many thanks to a good friend of mine who helped me name off different desserts and pastries! He really knows his sweets, haha! **

**[5] I gave Haru some qualities and abilities, like the judo, that aren't canon, but with the history I cooked up for her, I thought it works. Haru is a very stubborn, driven, and persistent girl, so I thought giving her some fighting skills would fit her well. Tsuna had stated before(in canon) that Haru and Kyoko have incredible strength of character, after all. She definitely has more fight than Kyoko, so why not let it manifest physically?**

**.-.-.**

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><p><em><strong>Replies to reviews: I got reviews from 10 different people this time! I got pretty excited by that. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers!<strong>_

**mischievious: Argh! I'm so sorry "soon" turned out to be 2 months! ;n;**

**Stargazer: Ahaha…yeah, I guess it wasn't very good 1827, huh? I'm not really into that pairing, but I do love the protective aspect of it all. Any 1827 will mostly just be Hibari being protective, haha. I can't wait to write Mukuro either! I'm seriously looking forward to it myself.**

**Jasmin Liertha: Oh yes. Yamamoto is like the epitome of girly guys. He'd do exactly what girls would around a guy they liked. I took the "taking away the cigarette's" thing a bit too far this chapter though. I'm sure Yamamoto is in for it now. ;D **

**LOL WUT REALLY? Yeah, you're totally right, pfft! That "heart skipped a beat" was actually supposed to have been more of a "MOTHERF- IT'S HIBARI, RUN FOR YOUR LIVESSSS" rather than a *swoon* kinda thing haha. **

**Oh man, I love I-Pin to pieces. She looks really weird, but I love her as a character. I feel the same for Lambo. I felt his development in the manga did not make much sense at all, especially since he would suddenly become OPed just because he threw a tandrum. I personally rather like Lambo, but he could have been characterized a bit better. His improvement is too sporadic because his strength mostly depends on future Lambo's development, which we cannot watch happen. I felt that over time he didn't change quite in the right way, you know? Yes, Nana is definitely very important to, not only the kids, but everyone around her. She supports everyone with her generous heart, and that is something I love about her and makes for very good story-telling. **

**GOD I LOVE DETECTIVE CONAN. IT'S INCREDIBLE. I'm personally a ShinRan fan. I'm a sucker for canon romance hahaha. **

**: Aw thanks! I'm so sorry the update took so long! You've updated so much since last time…I'm seriously loving your story right now. *U* You flatter me too much! Your story deserves every one of its reviews! I should go and review…I haven't done so in a while! I hope it reaches 2,000 before it ends! Shame on me! Dx Thanks! 3 **

**Serendipital: OHHH YOU LOOK AT THE TITLES? GOODY. 3 Haha, I'm glad you liked the last chapter! It was actually pretty hard for me write, especially when I was trying to figure out how Tsuna would react to I-Pin saying that she was sent to kill him. It was hard not to fall back on the usual cheesy comic relief that the kids tend to bring since I was keen on portraying them as realistically as I could. **

**I'm seriously excited to incorporate Kyoko in more. I want to also put Haru in more. It angers me how Amano-sensei is a female, yet two of the main female characters are really weak and underdeveloped. Yes, they have their moments to shine, but I feel like they serve more purpose than just being there as occasional support to the main cast. The fact that their negative traits are not shown very clearly gives room for people to hate on them in their own ways, which is damaging to, as you put it, characters with potential.**

**Thank you!**

**animepie: I'm glad you enjoyed every bit so much! I would literally go back at times and delete and rewrite whole portions of some of my chapters because I felt like I went out of character on them. I totally understand what you mean about the comic relief from the children: it's really frustrating how the comedy tends to make people forget about how the kids really are in terms of strengths and weaknesses. I'm also glad that you think I'm treating Kyoko's role well. One of my goals is definitely to make the less loved characters shine more and to give people a reason to like them. I feel like each character has something worthy to write home about, but I want to bring that out! **

**Final Syai Lunar Generation: -flinches back and waits until I'm absolutely sure your tirade is done-**

…**LOL. There there. D: -awkward pat- I'm a sucker for canonical pairings. Although Kyoko doesn't seem to have clear feelings for Tsuna, the brunet most definitely likes her. I just want him to be happy. :'D –slappedacrosstheface- **

**If you haven't noticed though, I'm LOUSY at romance, LOL. The date seemed more like two friends hanging out more than anything, right? Gah, I should just throw in some hard-core making out between Yamamoto and Gokudera to spice thing up a bit….-brick'd-**

**I'm glad that despite the fact that I'm a shameless 27K supporter that you'll still read this story, haha! Oh yes, I'm still working out the kinks for the all27. I'm really looking forward to confusing Tsuna's emotions. :'D Thank you for reading! I really appreciate it. 3**

**LiveandLearn2: Awww thank you! I like an out of character Tsuna myself, since I think people tend to write him better OOC, since it's really difficult to preserve Tsuna's true personality. I'm glad you think I did a good job of it! ;u; **

**1827 won't quite be the main pairing, but I am keen to have some hints of it, particularly in Hibari protecting Tsuna more. I think it's so cute, since Tsuna is like a little animal to him…hurrhurr.**

**OH MY GAWD, I KNOW RIGHT. I've dropped so many stories with interesting plots because the author's grammar and spelling was too difficult for me to endure! I proofread my stories through about 3 times over the course of writing, so by the end, very few mistakes remain. I'm sure there are a couple of major errors in each one still, and probably tons of awkward phrases sprinkled throughout, but the quality is still good enough so that people don't want to rip their brains out. ^^; I do take grammar critique from my reviewers, and I feel like my writing has improved because of some of the suggestions people have given me!**

**I will continue writing! It's just a matter if I have time or not, and I'm really hoping I will get more soon. T_T **

**Thanks! 3**

**A.M.O girl: Haha thank you! I appreciate you reading my story and liking it! I'll check out your story sometime. ^^**

**mrs anonyme: Aww thank you! That's really nice of you to say. 3 I'm a sucker for making things more realistic. It's hard for me not to. T_T And here's an extra-long chapter for you!**

**Juu-hime: Thank you for reviewing so much, first of all! I'm not sure if I'm happy that you cried or not. Crying means that I'm doing my job right with provoking sad emotions, but I don't want to have my readers bawling their eyes out, hah… I'm glad you like the term auburnette! It should be a real word, I say! –shakefist- **

**Now that I think about it, I think because I gave Tsuna more experiences to draw on, I am able to write him with more depth. That's a really good point! **

**Hehe. Man I'm getting a lot of grief for the 1827 bit, haha. Maybe I'm just not cut out for romance? Haha! Or maybe I'm just biased. Gah. **

**RoxasIsReal13: Thank you! When I write, I always feel like I spend too much time on characterization, but it's honestly my favorite thing to write. It really helps me create genuine character interaction that feels more real to the reader, so I'm glad you like it! That makes me really happy! **

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><p><strong>P.S. If no one comments on the title, I swear I'll cry. Probably. <strong>

**-smackedtoPluto-**

**Cheers!**

**~Alexie**


	9. Trust

_**As usual, replies to reviews are at the bottom Author's Note!**_

**EDIT: Actually guys, I decided starting next chapter, I will start replying to reviews privately. They take up a lot of the word count, and there's more or less a rule against it in the rules and guidelines of story submission. Also, I feel like some of the things I say should be done privately and personally to each reviewer. I owe it to you guys, as you are all kind enough to drop me a review whenever I update! Thanks!**

**Lookie lookie! I updated! More or less on time for once. (Since I did warn you guys that I would be busy until graduation on the 15th.) This chapter is another long one, so enjoy! Exams and Fanime are done, and summer vacation is upon me, so I can write more! I plan to get a lot of art and fanficing done this summer before I go to college. I have a sneaking suspicion that I won't get to do much of anything anymore once I'm in college. :/ I am planning to pick up my Pokemon fic again over summer though, so I won't just be blasting through his fic. Just a heads up.**

**Also, I decided that any romantic bits in his fic will be of second importance. This fic isn't labeled as a Romance, but rather as Hurt/Comfort and Adventure, and has been since the beginning. I'm not good at romance, and probably never will be, but I do love characterizations and plot. I hope it's enough to satisfy you guys. I do love tossing in sexual tension, since that ALWAYS makes a story more interesting. :'D**

**Thank you to all my reviewers and readers! I really appreciate your continued support, and hope to keep it for the chapters to come! Read and review please!**

**Last Chapter: Gokudera and Yamamoto decided to spend the night together in order to follow their boss around on his date the next day. Tsuna's day started out poorly when a he was hustled by a neighborhood girl, Haru Miura, who misunderstood Tsuna as being an evil babysitter who will corrupt the "pure souls" of the mysterious young child that suddenly took refuge in his home. Tsuna's relatively peaceful and joyful outing with Kyoko was cut short when the kids had left the Sawada household in search of Reborn and found themselves kidnapped by the local yakuza, who were after Futa. Haru had been taken along with them. Tsuna, along with Gokudera and Reborn, followed after a trail of grape candy unknowingly dropped by Lambo to the yakuza's hideout. What began as a weak rescue attempt escalated into a near-death situation, and the brunet and silverette were saved only by the sudden appearance of their school's infamous prefect, Hibari. With words of encouragement from Reborn, Tsuna finally broke through his shell and fought back with force, completely overwhelming the remaining yakuza. Haru, inspired by Tsuna's life-risking rescue attempt, apologized for her rash judgment of him, declaring her love for the brunet. At that moment, Kyoko showed up with Yamamoto, who was supposed to keep the auburnette away from the crime scene. The scene they were met with was Haru leaning over Tsuna, who had been stripped down to his boxers by the effects of the Dying Will bullet. **

**Ohhhh awkward. **

**Warnings: Violence**

**Disclaimer: I-way o-day ot-nay own-way atekyo-Kay itman-Hay eborn-Ray. I bet you all just want to slap me for using pig Latin now, eh? **

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><p><em>Chapter 9: Trust<em>

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><p>Hayato Gokudera was a dense individual. Very dense. Sure, he consistently earned perfect marks in class, understood the most complex concepts of scientific theory, played piano like Mozart's second coming, and could detect the most secret of conspiracies from a single slipped word, but when it came to emotions and very human interactions, he was just about as dense as a lead block. While this was exasperating at most times for Tsunayoshi, never was he gladder for this particular quirk in Gokudera's personality than at this moment.<p>

The bomber had an incredible memory for people who pissed him off, considering how many people did, and had an even larger capacity for holding grudges. All the pent up anger exploded all at once, catching the silent group by shock, completely dispelling the awkward tension in the air.

"Damn you, fucking baseball bastard!" he swore, pointing a stick of unlit dynamite at his target. Yamamoto blinked in surprise, opening his mouth to speak. Gokudera did not give him the chance. "You bastard! Do you have any idea what you have done? What you could have done?"

"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna suddenly cried, wincing at the pain that lanced through his broken nose. He reached for it gingerly, wincing more as the silverette continued his tirade.

"You took my cigarettes and nearly cost Juudaime his life! I couldn't defend him properly when some fucking idiot had stolen my cigarettes, the only way I could light up my dynamite! What the fuck?"

"C-calm down, Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna tried to yell firmly, but the pain in his nose was making his head spin. Unable to hold himself up, the brunet allowed himself to lie down and close his eyes, which immediately elicited concerned reactions from his friends.

"Hahi! Tsuna-san!" Haru cried, leaning over him again. "Are you ok?"

The silverette snapped his attention to the brunet, momentarily forgetting his anger with the baseball star. "Stupid woman! Of course he isn't ok!" Gokudera growled at the girl, rushing to his boss's side. Kyoko wasted no time and headed straight for the group as well while Yamamoto took guarded steps into the room. He had a feeling that Gokudera would lash out at him if he got too close. Perhaps stealing his cigarettes last night was not the best idea.

Tsuna's caramel eyes fluttered open, and he moaned slightly. "I'm fine guys." His weak voice held no reassurance of the words he spoke whatsoever.

"Haha, Tsuna, I don't think a bloody nose is considered 'fine.'" Takeshi finally went up to his side, ignoring the piercing glare from Gokudera.

"Back off, baseball idiot," Hayato snarled, much to Tsuna's growing displeasure. Perhaps the bomber's outburst had been appreciated at first, but now it was getting to be worrisome. The next thing that happened took him by surprise, however.

Whether it was out of pity or personal annoyance, but most likely the latter, Reborn suddenly piped up, "Shut up, you two. When your boss is hurt, sitting around idly and bickering like idiots is the stupidest thing you can do."

The expressions of both boys turned sheepish at the hitman's words, and they promptly turned their attention back to Tsuna. The brunet panted through his mouth to allow his lungs access to the air his nose currently blocked. Even so, each movement caused a stab of pain to jab at his nose, and Tsuna really wished he could just fall into the darkness of sleep and escape the uncomfortable pain.

He felt a gentle hand flutter on his numbing nose, and his eyes opened tiredly to see Kyoko hovering over him now, her hazel eyes gazing intently at the injury. Tsuna squeaked, flushed face growing redder. "K-Kyoko-chan?"

She looked like she wanted to say something, but no words came from her. Another bout of silence filled the air as Kyoko appraised the brunet's condition. Finally she spoke. "I can't tell how bad your injury is, but I think it's a broken nose. It's too swollen to tell though. We should get to a hospital." When questioning gazes turned to her, Kyoko blushed slightly. "Onii-chan always comes home with injuries because of his boxing. I really hate it and he always worries me, so I decided to brush up on some first-aid knowledge."

So Kyoko did know that boxing is essentially fighting, and judging by her words and tone, she very much disliked it. Perhaps there was more to her exasperation with her brother's obsession of boxing than just mild embarrassment.

"So…Tsuna-san." A small voice caught the brunet's attention, and his eyes drifted over to a certain chestnut-haired girl next to him. "Are these people all your friends?" Haru did not forget the encounter with the raven-haired boy and the silverette earlier, but at the moment, she was more concerned about finding out who the other female was.

"O-Oh yeah. E-Everyone, this is Haru Miura," he stammered, making a weak gesture towards the girl. "Haru, these are my friends Ya-"

"Haha, Tsuna, we can introduce ourselves! You just rest!" The baseball star grinned, directing his attention to Haru. "I'm Takeshi Yamamoto."

"Tch. Stupid woman doesn't need to know who I am," declared the bomber.

"He's Hayato Gokudera," Yamamoto added, earning him a fiery glare from said teenager.

A single, curt response to Takeshi's unauthorized introduction followed. "Fuck you." The taller teen's grin fell for a moment at the bomber's words, and he rubbed his head. Right, he was still in trouble with Gokudera.

"I'm Kyoko Sasagawa." Ignoring the boys, the auburnette introduced herself, looking straight at Haru. Again, it seemed like she had more to say, but nothing else came out other than a polite greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," responded Haru, returning Kyoko's stare. Tsuna felt that there was something off about their exchange. Their words lacked the warmth and passion they usually had and neither girl spoke again afterwards.

Tsuna did not like the tension he felt. As he gazed around the room, his stomach turned at the sight of the bloodied yakuza, sprawled in unconscious heaps across the floor. Idly, he wondered how many of them were incapacitated because of him. The idea that he had caused so much damage made him sick. His nose was already suffocating him. He did not need the whole world around him doing the same.

"Yamamoto." He lolled his head to the side, gazing at the baseball star. "How did you guys get here?"

"Oh…haha, sorry Tsuna. I couldn't stop Kyoko," Takeshi admitted sheepishly, and Tsuna gave him a tired and upset gaze. Smile falling, Yamamoto added, "I failed in my mission as your subordinate."

Immediately, Tsuna piped up, "N-No Yamamoto! I-It's nothing l-like that. D-Don't worry a-about it. At least everyone is o-ok n-now." Seeing that the baseball star was still lamenting, the brunet asked, his voice just above a whisper, "How did y-you find us?"

"We found a trail of grape candy. We figured the kid left it, so we followed it. When the candies disappeared, we found Hibari's committee standing in front of a building."

Tsuna wondered why he was surprised by this information. "T-The disciplinary committee?"

"Uh huh." Takeshi rubbed his neck. "They were all crowding around this building, but Hibari wasn't with them, so we assumed he was inside. We figured you guys and the kids were there too."

"And they let you in?" Gokudera spoke up, mildly surprised. Yamamoto sheepishly smiled, nodding his head towards the auburnette.

"Actually, it was Kyoko who convinced them-"

Before he could finish his sentence, rapid footsteps flooded the hall. Policemen flooded into the room, guns raised. Tsuna was too tired to even utter a squeak. He watched awakening mobsters be handcuffed and dragged from the room. One of the policemen approached the teens; the brunet's heart leapt to his throat when he vaguely recognized the man as the officer who was pursuing them earlier.

Boy, were they in trouble.

The stern gaze of the officer made the brunet wish he had indeed fallen asleep, if only to prolong his arrest. At least, the brunet was sure he and his companions were going to be arrested, or at least disciplined in some way. After all, they had disregarded police authority to run after their friends, and as noble a cause as that was, civil disobedience was not something to be tolerated.

Tsuna was really tired. He already felt himself nodding off, Kyoko's soft touch still lingering on his nose. Perhaps it was only his hazy imagination, but the brunet swore that his nose was beginning to feel better.

He heard the police officer start to talk, catching snippets of disapproving words and scolding. A strange buzzing had overtaken his hearing, and the brunet saw black edges creep into his vision. Gokudera was yelling again and Yamamoto seemed to be trying to bring calmness back to the situation. Then, Reborn's voice cut in, and again, Tsuna's blurry mind was unable to register any words enough to make sense of them. In the background, he vaguely heard Lambo waking up screaming something about grape candy and Haru's voice trying to soothe the bawling child. The brunet felt himself being lifted onto someone's back and something warm draped over his shirtless torso. The last thing Tsuna remembered was feeling his face rest into a mass of silver hair before the locks darkened into sweet oblivion.

Reborn watched as his student fell unconscious, spiking a rise of concern among his friends. He turned back to the policeman, smiling once again. "Thank you for your understanding, officer. I will take it from here after I deliver this boy to the hospital."

The officer bowed respectfully. "No no, the pleasure is all mine, Agent R. To think such an esteemed investigator such as yourself had come! We at the Namimori police department are honored. This must be a very important case indeed."

Waving his hand dismissively, the baby hitman responded, "Something like that. I will be continuing my investigation for a while, so I hope I can count on the police department's continued support."

"Of course, of course!" The police bowed again. "Thank you very much, Agent R."

"Good. I shall take my leave now. I have apprentices to attend to." Reborn smiled, waving as he walked out, the teens and children following. More policemen were outside at the entrance, but it seemed like Hibari and his group had already left. That was all the better for the teenagers, but now Reborn knew he had to go find the prefect.

Turning to the teens, he started to dish out instructions. "Gokudera, take Tsuna to the hospital to have his condition checked. I expect him to be home later for his nightly tutor session. No student of mine will let a little fight like that keeping him down."

Ignoring the bomber's attempts to protest, he turned to Yamamoto. "Take the girls home. And make sure they actually get to where they should this time. Then take the kids back to the Sawada residence." The baseball star nodded, a flicker of guilt crossing his amber eyes. The two females did not seem to be happy with Reborn's instructions, but did not seem to question the hitman's authority. Despite having the outer appearance of a child, Reborn was definitely more than what meets the eye.

Without another word, the hitman left, leaving the teens to fulfill his instructions. Gokudera gently readjusted his hold on his boss, sighing slightly when he felt the brunet's head loll onto his shoulder. He turned to Yamamoto, and with one last warning glance, promising vengeance, he headed towards the hospital. Scratching his head, Takeshi smiled, facing the remaining companions. "Haha, so where do you guys live?"

Reborn toddled along the sunset-colored roads of Namimori, reaching his destination quickly. He leapt over the iron gates of Namimori Middle School, walking along the side of the school until he found the window he was looking for. Leon slithered out of his hat, leaping into the air as he glowed in technicolor. The chameleon transformed into a miniature air balloon, capable of lifting the baby hitman. Reborn hopped into his ride and Leon ascended towards the top story of the school, stopping in front of a window. With a swift motion, Reborn unlocked the window, dropping onto the windowsill. Leon glowed again, transforming back into a pocket-sized chameleon. He took his refuge within Reborn's hat and disappeared from sight once again.

Almost immediately, Reborn ducked a speeding tonfa aimed to take his head off. The hitman sighed inwardly, which in itself was an accomplishment for the prefect as Reborn rarely sighed, even in his mind. Hibari did not waste any movement, turning the butt of his tonfa down in a decisive stroke. Rolling out of the way, Reborn grabbed Leon, who immediately changed into a gun again. Within a second, he had leapt onto the prefect's head with the gun pointed at the top of it. Hibari froze, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You would do well to wait, Hibari Kyoya. I wanted to talk before we get to any fighting," Reborn said smoothly, poking the gun harder into the prefect's head to remind him of the position he was in.

Hibari was absolutely livid now, much like a drug addict in the deepest abyss of withdrawal. Reborn had denied him the fight he had so been craving for so long, and Hibari was very incensed indeed. However, he calmed himself, an impatient huff from his mouth being the indication of his temporary complacency.

Satisfied, Reborn smiled and hopped off. Knowing that Kyoya was unlikely to start any type of conversation, Reborn took the reins. "Your father was Hara Hibari, if I remembered correctly."[1]

Kyoya Hibari was never one to show emotion. Ever. But at this moment, his perfect steel mask broke, no doubt because he had not heard that name anywhere near him for almost a decade, not without the offending speaker hospitalized at the brink of death. Reborn was indifferent to the wide, steel eyes and teeth clenched in anger, brushing off the murderous aura emitting from the prefect.

Reborn noted that Hibari actually looked nothing like Hara, now that he finally got the chance to compare the two. "I knew Hara personally. He was a man worthy of respect." Hibari had no response to his words.

Reborn rarely praised anyone, but Hara Hibari was one person that he made an exception for. Raised as a poor child in a rural village, Hara was discovered at a young age to be exceptionally intelligent, despite poor schooling opportunities. Even the death of his parents during an especially devastating flood did not deter the young boy's spirit. By a passing of luck, a politician seeking to gain favor in the eyes of his voters had gone to the little village to address the issue of annual floods. Seeing his opportunity to do good for his home, Hara Hibari had written a short speech with charcoal on his cabin wall and rehearsed it to perfection in anticipation of the politician's visit. Never would he have imagined that his words and poise would impress the man enough for him to take the young Hara in as an adopted son. It was an immense stroke of luck and the very opportunity that served as Hara's ticket into the world of politics.

Hara was enrolled into a prestigious school when he went to Tokyo with his new guardian. Despite his rustic background, his peers quickly realized that the bright young boy was not the country bumpkin they had imagined him to be. The boy was polite and sociable, easily gaining a circle of trusted and loyal companions. Academics were a cinch for him. When he spoke, people listened. Hara composed his thoughts and delivered them with the sharpness and quickness of a skylark's flight, weaving quips with eloquence and tact. His charisma was capable of holding his audience spellbound when he spoke. It was no wonder that Hara Hibari graduated at the top of his class and had even managed to get accepted to Harvard University overseas . The politician was never prouder of his adopted son.

After university, Hara returned to Japan to start his career under the guidance of his adoptive father. In all the time he had been living with the politician, Hara never changed his maiden name as a remembrance of the parents he was working to honor; the politician never tried to change his adopted son's name either.

Hara's career started fabulously. Initially, his focus rested in promoting change in the run-down regions of Japan. He was a champion of the common people, a hero to their grievances. For years, he campaigned and fundraised to build walls to block against floods, pipe water to dry irrigation fields, save habitats and preserve all manner of rights for the people of his native culture.

"Does the name Fon ring any bells?" Reborn suddenly asked, curiously watching as a shock seemed to jolt through Hibari. The teen said nothing, eyes suddenly freezing over to absolute zero. Reborn smirked. Fon had been the reason that Hara's career completely changed directions. The politician had gone to a tavern in a rural village after one of his campaign speeches for a celebratory drink.

Hara's recent success at the time involved the enforcement of more acceptable working conditions for people in the countryside who took jobs at a Chinese-owned factory. This was only one of the many triumphs he had experienced in the past year involving such industries, and major Chinese corporation owners were losing their patience with the Japanese politician. A conspiracy fomented and it was decided that Hara Hibari needed to be eliminated. The Triad was hired to fulfill the assassination, and they sent in their best hitman: Fon.

Despite being deep within the clutches of the Triad, Fon was not a cruel man. He believed deeply in justice and moral values, which had landed him in the Triad in the first place. He valued lives of the worthy above all else. The Triad wanted Fon for his renowned martial art capabilities, and to get to him, they dangled the life of his dearest childhood friend, Azami, over him. With no choice, Fon joined the Triad and completed every mission flawlessly to keep her safe. Luckily for him, every single one of his targets had been corrupt humans in one way or another, so it did not soil the man's conscience too terribly whenever he went on an assassination mission. However, Fon could tell that Hara had nothing but noble intentions, and found that he could not apply the lethal poison into the politician's drink. Instead, he asked Hara why he did what he did.

"_Why?"_ Hara said, face slightly flushed from the alcohol. _"Life isn't fair, but I figured I could try and even out the odds a little bit. I had been given an opportunity many others would never have, and I thought it would be a shame to waste it. I am but one single person in this massive world, and I don't think I need to reserve all my rewards and successes for myself. There's always something indescribably satisfying about doing good deeds, you know?" _Hara took another swig of sake, smiling at the surprised Fon. The Chinese man was ashamed at this point and promptly left the tavern.

The next day, Fon went to Hara's office with a warning. _"The Triad is after you. The Chinese are unhappy with your political conquests against their subsidies. If you keep going, you will surely be killed."_

Hara did not even bat an eyelash. He simply smiled. _"I was not destined to live as great a life as I have, yet I do. I want to make it all that it's worth until the very last bit of it runs out."_ Fon would visit frequently after that just to keep Hara company, or rather, keep himself in Hara's company. The two became close, linked by their similar idealogy and ideals. Hara learned of Fon's position in the Triad, but again, did not seem ruffled. Fon told him all about Azami, and how she had moved to China from Japan when she was young, and how Fon held her as his most precious companion. Slowly, Hara spent less time working for human rights and more towards criminal justice, much to Fon's discontent. Months passed and Fon had skirted around the Triad's orders to kill Hara, and the gang began to get impatient, especially since Hara's focus now was more directly in line with their illegal activities.

One day, Fon showed up at Hara's office with a plea to keep Azami safe. Hara accepted wholeheartedly, so Azami was snuck back to Japan after living in China for most of her childhood to stay under Hara's protection. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman with a beautiful heart to match, and for once in his life, Hara found himself immersed in something other than his work.

Fon watched the budding romance between Azami and Hara with jealousy, but said nothing. He did not deserve Azami and Hara had done so much for him. He had given Fon the push he needed to rebel against the Triad. At that time, Fon had been invited to join a secret organization along with Reborn and five other powerful individuals, and the Chinese man enlisted their help in freeing him from the Triad. After what became known as the Rainbow's Massacre, Fon left the Triad behind, but not without the gang fostering a vicious grudge at its core. After that day, the group received global recognition in the underground society as the Arcobalenos.

Reborn remembered his first meeting with Hara Hibari and his new wife, Azami. The Arcobaleno visited as well. Azami was pregnant and far along at the time. The hitman remembered Fon had a very solemn disposition at the time, but the couple was gushing with happiness and gratefulness to the group for freeing their beloved friend. Several months later, Azami gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and Fon was named the godfather.

Every time Fon went to the Arcobaleno meetings, he would speak proudly of the boy with a subtle sadness in his voice. _"He has Azami's eyes,"_ he would say. _"They are gray, yet shine so brightly as if they were made of precious silver."_ The young Kyoya Hibari did quite well in school and was as chatty and charismatic as his father; he was also a talented fighter, so "Uncle" Fon was happy to train the boy. Hara and Azami both thought having self-defense skills would serve the boy well in life.

Each of the members of the Arcobaleno had gone to see the child, and the Hibari's became close family friends. Reborn was highly impressed by the strength the child exhibited and something just clicked in his mind. Kyoya seemed to enjoy all the visitors. He chatted regularly with them and was eager to learn anything the Arcobalenos could teach him.

From Reborn, he had learned about weapons. When the hitman first saw the child, he stooped down to eye level with the boy, gazing into his orbs. They shined like silver steel, lighter than that of a gun, but less poignant than that of a sword. Kyoya Hibari's steel was a subtle, yet lasting, silver, unyielding and sturdy.

_"Tonfas,"_ the hitman huffed, standing back up. _"This child, powerful and unbending, will use tonfas." _

Apparently, Hibari had taken it to word. Reborn gazed up at Azami's child. Kyoya was still tight-lipped, so Reborn asked another question. "Do you know where Fon is now?"

"That herbivore disappeared eight years ago after leaving my parents to die and rot."

Reborn tilted his hat down, recalling the event very well. The Triad had stayed quiet about Hara Hibari for almost a decade while the Arcobaleno remained active. That was when the seven of them were still human adults. Reborn, in actuality, was an adult trapped within the body of an infant. The day their former lives ended, Fon disappeared. It did not take long for the Triad to strike afterwards.

The family of three was taken hostage, their house burned down to the ground. Young Kyoya watched his mother plea and beg for the assassins to spare him. Azami, who had been marked for dead from the moment the Triad had set their eyes on Fon, had absolutely no bargain power. Kyoya's innocence was shattered by the same bullet that shattered his mother's skull, shrouding his world is wretched red.

Hara tried to speak with the assassins using reason, without negotiation, to free his son. He refused to negotiate with mobsters. After so many successes in influencing others, Hara's words finally fell onto deaf ears, covered by years of hardening in the Triad. No matter how talented politician Hara Hibari was at speaking, the Triad had no ears for his words.

"_This ain't a debate room. Words are what weak little herbivores use. Us? We're carnivores. Carnivores always win with force." _

New blood splattered, and only Kyoya was left. No words came from the boy, and one of the assassins approached him, jeering at the cowering child. Something snapped and Kyoya lunged forward, clamping his teeth down with venomous intensity on the man's hand. The Triad member screamed, slamming Kyoya's head into a wall to make him let go. The bite broke skin, coating the boy's mouth in crimson liquid. He spat it out, finally speaking, his voice so carnivorous and devoid of the innocence of childhood.

_"I will bite you to death." _

Fon had been hiding nearby for a while, but had not dared to move. His body was no longer as it was before, and the Chinese man had no confidence in what he was capable of in this state. But when his dear Kyoya had fallen unconsciousness after uttering those chilling words, he had to act. He sat back while he watched two of the most precious people to him be killed in cold blood. He was not about to let the last one be killed too.

Reborn did not know any more of the story after that as Fon withheld the details. The Chinese man had always been hard to read, even for the hitman. All he knew was that Kyoya Hibari was taken into the care of a hospital his father sponsored in Namimori and Fon had returned to the Triad. The Hibari family scandal was the subject of headlines for a month before it started to wind down. The young Hibari found himself a Japanese-style house to call his home, using the mass riches his father had left behind to support himself. No mention of the Hibari's was made until a year later when Kyoya made the front cover of the newspaper as the town's vicious vigilante, taking out street criminals without mercy or remorse. The bright young boy had twisted into a cold demon, silent and lethal. Now Reborn knew Fon and Hibari had not kept in contact at all, as the teen apparently held a grudge for Fon's inability to save his parents.

"Is that so?" Reborn said in response to Hibari's words. "I do have one last thing to ask before we can fight." Kyoya's eyes lit up slightly in bloodlust at the idea. "Why do you fight? What is it that you seek?"

A memory flashed through the prefect's mind. The words of the Triad rang clearly in his head from a decade ago. _"This ain't a debate room. Words are what weak little herbivores use. Us? We're carnivores. Carnivores use force." _

"Words are for weaklings. Herbivores." He raised his tonfas. "Those who disrupt the peace of Namimori will be bitten to death." He allowed Reborn to make whatever he wanted of it. The infant smirked, tipping his hat up with his gun.

"Very well then. I promised you a fight, but why don't we make it a little more interesting? A wager, if you will."

The prefect seemed bored, but it was clear he was listening. Reborn continued. "I'm a hitman from the Vongola Famiglia in Italy. I have come to Japan to find and train a candidate to inherit the title of the Tenth Boss. But every boss needs a family, and Tsunayoshi Sawada is no exception." Hibari's eyes widened ever so slightly, apparently surprised that the brunet was the man's student. "I would like you to join Tsuna's family. Your strength and abilities would be an excellent asset to the Vongola."

Completely apathetic, the prefect gave a curt, "I hate crowds."

Smiling, Reborn commented, "Is it because this has to do with the mafia?"

"I don't associate with herbivores."

"Are you sure they're truly herbivores?" Reborn countered, smirking again. "The Vongola has many enemies, many of whom are very powerful. You'll constantly be fighting, and each opponent may be more powerful than the next." He paused, studying the teen. "The Triad is one of them."

Now he knew he had the teen's attention. Hibari physically stiffened, eyes narrowing dangerously. Reborn cocked his gun, smirking, "Here's my wager. If you can defeat me, I'll tell you where to find the Triad members who killed your parents. If you lose however-" Reborn gave a smug smile. "You will join Tsunayoshi Sawada's family."

Kyoya Hibari seemed to ponder his words for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Interesting. Very well."

Reborn leapt back again as the prefect took the first swing without warning. Dodging a second attack, the Arcobaleno took a shot, missing the raven-haired demon by inches. Hibari gave no respite, his attacks coming in quick succession. The hitman noticed that the teen left few openings, but he was placing far too much power into his attacks; his balance was being thrown off ever so slightly. But slightly was all Reborn needed.

Cocking his gun, Reborn waited for the next swing. With a jump, he landed on Hibari's extended shoulder, putting more force into his landing than usual. As he had expected, the teen tittered, and Reborn took the chance to shoot Kyoya.

Recovering in the nick of time, the prefect managed to dodge the bullet by a hairsbreadth. With one hand, he did a handspring to right himself. With a jangle, a string of chains suddenly popped out from the end of the tonfas, quickly blurring as Hibari swung them like nun chucks. Reborn smiled, impressed with the resourcefulness of the hidden weaponry. Those spinning chains might be sharp enough to act as saws, not that the hitman rose his guard any bit. Hibari was good, but not good enough. Reborn had every confidence in his victory.

When Kyoya took the first swing again, it became evident that he did not have excellent control of the chains. The force, speed, and accuracy were there, but the suppleness that the chains provided was overlooked. Reborn found it easy to dodge around the chains, much to Hibari's growing frustration.

Reborn leapt high up into the air, smirking, "You're an unbending fighter through and through, Kyoya." Hibari stopped for a fraction of a second, eyes widening in recognition.

"You-"

Another gun appeared from Reborn's clothes, and in one synchronized movement, he shot both of Hibari's tonfas at the right angle to knock them from his hands. The metal weapons clattered to the floor, chains rattling. The hitman fell back onto the ground, one gun pointed at the prefect while the other trained on the fallen weapons. "I believe that constitutes as my win."

Kyoya was still staring at the hitman, understanding starting to flood through his mind. Smirking, he hummed, "Wow." Afterwards, he remained silent and unmoving, conceding to his defeat.

Reborn lowered his guns, tucking one back into his suit while Leon transformed back, curling around the infant's neck. "Carry on as you were, but now-" He smirked, "-as a member of the Vongola."

The prefect seemed ticked off by that statement. "I don't work under herbivores."

"I said 'carry on as you were.' I said nothing about working under anyone." Reborn smiled enigmatically, turning to leave. The prefect watched the infant leave, cold eyes calculative and suspicious. At the threshold of the door, Hibari cleared his throat.

"The Arcobalenos. Are all seven of you herbivores now?"

Reborn turned around halfway, cocking his eyebrow. "Young skylark, I do believe that I just proved I'm anything but what you consider an 'herbivore.'" His eyes were shadowed by his fedora. "The others are in the same situation as I am, but I believe my demonstration shows our power has anything but waned." With that, Reborn walked out the door, somehow knowing the prefect had a subtle smile on his face.

The sun had set by the time Tsuna finally woke up, with a splitting headache to boot. Almost immediately, the incessant droning of hospital machines filled his senses and the brunet blearily opened his eyes. He could not stop the moan coming from his mouth, which alerted his watchful friend of his awakening.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera sounded estatic. "You've woken up! I was so worried."

It took a few seconds for the brunet to find his voice. "Where am I?"

"Namimori General Hospital. Reborn told me to take you here after you took out all those mobsters. The police showed up to take care of them."

"Mobsters? P-Police…" Tsuna suddenly gasped, shooting up. "T-The police! O-Oh no, we're in so much trouble with them! A-And what about Haru and the kids? A-An-"

Tsuna froze when two strong hands landed on his shoulders. His petrified caramel eyes were captured by Gokudera's intense emerald orbs. "Calm down, Juudaime! Reborn took care of it. He disguised himself as a secret agent and got us off the hook. The baseball idiot took the girls and kids home! No one else is hurt, and everyone is safe! There's nothing to worry about!"

The brunet did not realize that he had been breathing harshly until he started feeling lightheaded. In pure exasperated relief, he covered his face with trembling hands, trying to calm his breathing. It was then that he noticed his nose was hurting, but not as much as earlier. Blinking, he gently felt his face, fingering his nose curiously. "My nose…?"

"Ah, the doctors said it was only cracked, not broken! It was a great relief, Juudaime!"

"What?" Tsuna blinked again. "That can't be right. It felt just like one! I would know, s-since I've had one before."

Gokudera frowned, crossing his arms. "Actually, I think that sister of Turf Top's had something to do with it."

Surprised, the brunet looked up at his silverette friend. "W-What? Kyoko-chan? H-How?"

The bomber opened his mouth to start explaining, but a high pitched voice cut him off.

"I thought I told you to take Dame-Tsuna home once he woke up." Reborn appeared at the windowsill, a disapproving expression on his face.

Tsuna still had a headache, which did not help his dazed state. "Reborn?" he asked, blinking in surprise, before his face fell into dread. "Oh no."

"Come on. We're leaving. You have a lot of studies to keep up on."

"I don't even have homework!"

"Doesn't mean you're not behind on your work. We're going home." Without waiting for Tsuna's reply, he kicked the brunet out of the bed. Luckily for him, Hayato caught him. The brunet's head spun, the bright hospital lights blurring in his vision. His consciousness threatened to collapse again, but fearing Reborn more, the brunet tried to right himself. Gokudera helped him warily, eyes flickering to Reborn. Even the hitman was frowning at his student's reaction. He felt like he had forgotten something rather crucial.

"Juudaime, are you ok?" the bomber asked in concern. The brunet only nodded, not sure what he would say if he spoke. Rather, he was feeling nauseous and was afraid that opening his mouth would cause him to spill the contents of his stomach all over the feisty silverette. He figured Reborn would just give him more grief anyways, so the brunet tried his best to just suck up the discomfort until he got home.

The trek back to the Sawada residence was slow. Tsuna only had Gokudera's jacket to wear in the chilly night air. His legs and feet were exposed to the biting cold, but he refused any more of Gokudera's offers to carry him home. When the trio entered the house, immediately the smell of dinner and loud sounds of the kids filled the air. Relief filled the brunet when he realized the kids were home, just as the silverette had told him. Reborn went straight to the kitchen, commenting that he was hungry. At least Tsuna was spared from studying for now.

"Oh, Tsu-kun! There you are!" Nana beamed when her son walked into the room. Tsuna noticed Yamamoto was there as well.

"Yo, Tsuna! Good to see you back!" His smile was full of relief, and the Tsuna returned it full-heartedly.

"Your nice friend, Takeshi-kun, brought the kids home and said you were coming back soon. I'm glad you made it home for dinner!" Nana's eyes fell on the bandage over Tsuna's nose, and she frowned. "What happened to your nose, Tsu-kun?"

"Oh, Kyoko opened a door and Tsuna walked right into it," Reborn piped up, plopping down onto a chair. The brunet blanched while the silverette seemed to sputter with a restrained complaint.

Nana took it without question, pouting at her son. "Oh Tsu-kun! You need to be more careful!" Suddenly, her face lit up, and she went over to Tsuna and Gokudera, pushing them towards the table. "Let's eat dinner! Then you can tell me all about the date with Kyoko!"

"Mom! I-It wasn't a date!" Tsuna cried out, face blooming in blush.

The mother opened her mouth to counter, but she caught of sight of Tsuna's pants, or rather, lack thereof.

"Tsu-kun!" Nana gasped, eyes widening. "Why aren't you wearing pants?"

A short silence followed afterwards, the implications hanging in the air. Suddenly, Lambo jumped up, pointing a little finger at the brunet. "Tsuna got pantsed, Tsuna got pantsed!" He chanted, laughing obnoxiously.

I-Pin was quick to scold him. "Lambo! No make fun! Mean!" Futa only sat by and watched in amusement.

Still gazing at her son, Nana Sawada placed her hands on her hips in disapproval. "Tsunayoshi Sawada, I hope you did not do anything indecent on your date!"

"Mom!" Tsuna protested, face in full red. "Y-You can't possibly be thinking of something l-like that!" When Nana seemed unconvinced, Tsuna continued, "I-I'm not like t-that!"

Gokudera cut in at this point. "That's right! Juudaime is not like that at all! He was pantsed by a…"

"A bush, haha!" Yamamoto offered.

"Y-Yeah. I-I got my pants stuck in a bush, and they ripped, and…yeah…" Tsuna trailed off, blinking owlishly at his mother.

"Uh-huh. So where are they now?" she asked, unconvinced.

"Some kids ran off with them when Tsuna thought he should take them off," Reborn chirped, taking a sip of the espresso Nana had set out for him.

"Y-Yeah, taking my pants off in public w-wasn't a very good idea." The brunet gazed at the ground, the table, or the chairs. Anywhere but the piercing gaze of his mother.

"Did you do this in front of Kyoko-chan?" Nana asked.

Shaking his head vigorously, Tsuna lied, "N-No. It was on the way h-home f-from her house." In truth, Kyoko did see him without pants, but there was no way he was going to mention that. Or the fact that there were two girls who had seen him. He began to fiddle with Gokudera's jacket, nervously waiting for his mother's reply. It came in the form of an exasperated sigh.

"Oh Tsu-kun, what will I do with you?" she cried, shaking her head. "Ok, well nevermind. It's getting late, and I'm sure everyone is hungry. I'll let it slide for today, hm?" Her eyes twinkled deviously, and Tsuna felt himself prickling with more nervousness. He could only nod at this point.

"Alrighty then!" She moved towards her son and his friend again. "Hayato-kun, you're more than welcome to have dinner with us! Takeshi-kun is staying as well!" The silverette sent a seething glare at the baseball star, who smiled sheepishly.

"Honored mother, it would be a pleasure to share dinner with you and Juudaime!" Gokudera declared through clenched teeth.

The rest of dinner seemed to consist of Nana unintentionally embarrassing her son. To both sides of Tsuna were his two friends, but Gokudera's malice towards Yamamoto seemed to scorch the air around him, making Tsuna's place extremely uncomfortable. Takeshi was carefree and cheerful as ever, especially since the brunet seemed fine now. When dinner was over, Tsuna and his friends headed up to his room. Food had made the brunet feel better, but he still had the strange headache and dizziness pounding in his head.

As soon as the three were in the room, Gokudera wasted no time in assaulting Yamamoto. Grabbing Takeshi by the collar, Hayato pulled the baseball star to him, a growl in his throat. "Talk. Where are my cigarettes?"

Yamamoto had a few hours to compose himself and figure out how to deal with bomber on a ticking timer. Calmly, he smiled. "I threw them away."

"What?" Gokudera screamed, but Yamamoto barely flinched.

"I didn't realize you needed them for your dynamite, but I wanted you to stop smoking. Seriously Gokudera." Yamamoto's eyes darkened. "It's really bad for you. Besides, do you really want to always be smoking around Tsuna? It's not good for him either."

Hayato blinked in surprise, his fist loosening. He had never thought of it before like that. As long as he could remember, he had been alone, so worrying about those around him had never been forefront in his mind. When he started smoking a few years back after he found how much faster it was to light up the dynamite with a cigarette, the addiction quickly set in, complementing his violent streak. "Why would you care in the first place?" Gokudera asked, his voice sounding weak to him.

Grinning brightly, Takeshi replied heartily, "I can't be concerned for a friend?"

Gokudera's hand went slack, but he pushed away the baseball star. Curling his lips, he gave a short "tch" before asking, "How am I supposed to fight now then?"

"Well…" Yamamoto reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled packet of cigarettes. "I…didn't actually throw them away. It's not my right." He held his hand out to Gokudera, the cigarettes as an offering. "If you really want them, I can't stop you."

Floored, Hayato gaped at the athlete, emerald eyes flickering to his cancer sticks on occasion. After a pregnant pause, the bomber clicked his tongue again, crossing his arms. "Toss them. I'll find another way to light my bombs."

Tsuna gasped. He had been watching the argument with bated breath the whole time, and was stunned to see that the feisty bomber had complied with Yamamoto's request.

Apparently, Takeshi was just as surprised, because he stood there blinking for a while as well. A wide grin spread across his face, and he laughed, "Aw Gokudera!" He swung arm around the agitated silverette's shoulders. "That was kinda cool of you, haha!"

"Shut up, baseball freak!" the bomber hissed, rolling his eyes and shifting them away.

"Oh good, you two made up." Reborn appeared out of nowhere, lounging in his hammock. He hopped to the ground, heading towards the work table. "Now either you two leave, or stay and help your boss with his studies. Your choice." The hitman really had no compassion for these sorts of events, and it was late as it already was.

One pleading look from the brunet sealed the two's decision. "We'll stay!" they declared simultaneously.

Tsuna later found out that having his two friends over was actually more detrimental than helpful. The occasions where the brunet struggled over a concept in his studies were plentiful, and each time, his guardians would jump in to try and help him.

Gokudera already established himself as being a genius, so Tsuna thought he could depend on the silverette for tutoring help. However, Gokudera's explanations were as garbled as the words on Tsuna's textbook. He spoke in jargon and used complicated flow charts and diagrams to teach, and the poor brunet was more lost after he opened his mouth than before it.

For Yamamoto, the raven-haired teen liked to show his explanations through pantomime. Unfortunately, it ended up being more like charades accompanied by the oddest array of noises. Tsuna could not follow along his strange arm motions and could not begin to understand the sounds Takeshi made. In the end, Reborn's Spartan tutoring methods worked the best, no matter how much Tsuna hated them.

It was no wonder that he awoke the next morning, very tired and still with a splitting headache. Japanese feudal history tossed around his head, a product of hours of studying the previous night. Tsuna crawled out of bed, noting that he had woken up later than usual. He would most likely be late, but for some odd reason, the brunet could not bring himself to care.

His nose actually felt fine, much to his surprise. He touched it again, finding neither abnormalities nor pain. He took a deep breath to test it, but the air jarred his windpipe, inducing a series of harsh coughs. The coughs felt strange and seemed to set his throat on fire immediately. Wincing, Tsuna went to the bathroom to get ready for school. Weird, was he coming down with a cold?

Nana could start staying at home this week, but she was already up and cooking breakfast. As he was already running late, the boy just brushed past the kitchen with his quickly spoken morning greeting, stumbling out the door. He vaguely heard his mother calling out and only realized once he was halfway to school that he had left his lunch at home. He groaned in both frustration and exhaustion. He rubbed his eyes as he rounded a corner, smacking into something in his blindness.

"Hahi! Tsuna-san! Are you ok?" Tsuna opened his eyes to see Haru hovering over him again, concern on her face. Realizing that he had fallen again, Tsuna blushed, grabbing his book bag. Somehow, the bag's clasp came undone, spilling the messy contents all over the pavement. Biting back a frustrated growl and another cough, Tsuna started to collect his things. A hand gathered up a pile of papers in one swift motion and held them out to him. Surprised, Tsuna looked up to see Haru's smile.

"Here you go, Tsuna-san! Sorry about that!"

Tsuna's already spinning head was trying to grasp the fact that the girl had done a complete 180 on her attitude towards him. While he enjoyed the kind treatment, it was unsettling in some way.

"T-Thanks," the brunet stammered, dumping his papers back into the bag and standing up. "S-Sorry for running into y-you again."

With a wave of her hand, Haru laughed, "No no, it's no problem! Again, I'm sorry for everything that happened yesterday. I was very rude. As an apology, I made you a bento lunch!" She held up a nicely wrapped box, grinning with rosy cheeks. Tsuna blinked, mouth falling open. N-No girl had ever made him a b-bento before. Ever.

"T-This is for me?" he gasped, reluctant to take the generous offering. With a nod, the girl pushed the box towards the boy. Finally, he took it in his clammy hands, caramel eyes meeting chocolate ones. "Thank you. I-I really a-appreciate it, but y-you really didn't h-have to."

"But of course I do!" Haru blinked. "I am going to be Tsuna-san's wife someday, so I need to start practicing now."

The spit that Tsuna had been swallowing had gone down the wrong way at this statement and the brunet began to violently cough. Haru was immediately fluttering with concern, her cries unheard by the brunet. When the coughing finally calmed to wheezes, Tsuna started to wave in a way that would hopefully settle the girl's worries.

"I-I'm fine. S-Sorry," he gasped hoarsely, righting himself. "T-Thank you for the bento and help again, b-but I think I-I'm going to be late to s-school. E-Excuse me." He gave her a kind smile though, one she returned joyfully.

"Alright! Have a great day Tsuna-san!" Haru waved as he pranced off towards her school. Only now did Tsuna notice that she had the uniform of Midori Middle School, the most prestigious girl's school in Namimori.

Tsuna wish he could just crawl into a hole and lay there for the rest of the day. The teen honestly had no idea how to react to Haru's obvious feelings. Even he could tell she had a crush on him, considering that she had practically confessed. Wait, strike that. It was bordering on an obsession. There was no way a person could sanely be so in love with an individual in less than twenty-four hours. However, he had a feeling that she was harmless now, and lately, Tsuna had begun to trust these gut instincts. Glancing at his watch, Tsuna noted that school was to start in a few minutes and took off in a run. Gokudera and Yamamoto were waiting at the usual intersection, much to his surprise. After a quick greeting, the trio ran all the way to school, bursting into the gates just when the bell chimed.

It was at this point that Tsuna noticed that he had not seen Reborn all morning long. The hitman was not there to wake him up in his cruel and unusual ways, nor did he give the brunet any grief for being late to school. Distracted, the brunet tripped on the first step of the stairs, smacking his chin into the pavement. The impact jostled his whole skull, amplifying the headache the brunet had. He let out a groan of pain. When he would not get up, Gokudera insisted on carrying the brunet to the nurse, no matter how much he hated Dr. Shamal. Tsuna had no desire to be anywhere near the nurse's office or any hospital setting any time soon, so he just as vehemently refused to go. Finally, the trio made it to class about ten minutes late, much to their teacher's anger.

The brunet did not even hear the teacher's tirade about tardiness, only shuffling to his seat in a daze. He felt concerned gazes falling on him and tried his best to keep his head up throughout the lesson. Although he did not fall asleep, nothing registered in his head, not even the sound of the lunch bell. He was shaken from his daze by an angelic voice.

"Tsuna-kun, are you ok?"

The brunet blinked, looking up to see Kyoko gazing at him with her honey eyes flooded with worry. He blushed, only nodding. Curling her lips, Kyoko grabbed a chair from nearby and sat down at his desk. "Is that true?"

"I'm just tired from yesterday. That's all," Tsuna tried reassuring the auburnette. "My nose is feeling fine today, so I'm sure I'm just exhausting from the long day. O-Oh." He quickly added, "I-I'm not saying t-that the d-day with you was tiring. I-I…" He blushed. "I had a lot of fun yesterday."

Kyoko smiled brightly, chirping, "I had a lot of fun too! Thank you for sharing such a lovely Sunday with me, Tsuna-kun." Her smile fell slightly, and she pursed her lips. "What happened yesterday when you ran off?"

"E-Eh?" Tsuna blinked nervously. "What do you mean?"

Frowning, the girl crossed her fingers over the table. "I'm talking about the yakuza. I know those men were yakuza, otherwise the police would not have arrested them all. What happened?" When the brunet did not answer immediately, she continued, "Did you fight all those guys?"

Cornered, the brunet cringed. "N-Not exactly. You see, Haru and the kids were…taken by them." He winced at the use of the words and at the shocked expression that crossed Kyoko's face. "I had to rescue them! But um…" He really did not want the auburnette to think he loved to fight, because he did not. "It did not really work…it was Hibari-san who actually defeated all of the yakuza."

Tsunayoshi felt terrible for lying to Kyoko, but there was no way that he could let her know exactly how dangerous the situation was. Her disapproving frown remained on her face, making Tsuna wary.

"Was that…part of the mafia game?"

Flinching, Tsuna replied quickly, "N-No. No, it wasn't!" Liar, liar. Dame-Tsuna is a liar. That was all the brunet thought of as he spoke. Kyoko did not seem convinced in the least bit, and her next words made the brunet feel like the biggest jerk in the world.

"Tsuna-kun, do you not trust me?"

"What?" Incredulity flooded the boy. "No, no, Kyoko-chan, it's not like that at all!" He groaned, rubbing his eyes again. "It's just…" He turned the full force of his caramel eyes on her honey ones, desperation in his voice. "Why did you and your brother accept Reborn's offer to join this mafia game? I-It would be so much better if you didn't-!" He cut himself off, realizing he was saying too much. With a heavy sigh, Tsuna planted his throbbing head on the table. "C-Can you trust me when I say everything is a lot more complicated than it seems? It's a lot to deal with," he whispered, his voice pleading. "I value being your friend Kyoko, which is why I want to keep you out of all this."

"Keep me out of what, Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko pressed, her frown deepening. When he did not answer, she sat back with a huff, pursing her lips. The brunet closed his eyes, not wanting to see the auburnette's disappointed face anymore.

"Fine." He flinched when she spoke again. "But Tsuna-kun. I'll always be there to support you. Especially since my brother is in it now as well. I want to be able to support everyone else as well. So can you trust me too?"

Tsuna's eyes flew open in shock and he saw a soft smile adorned on Kyoko's face. His face melted into a tired smile as well, and he replied, "Thank you, Kyoko-chan. P-Please, don't worry too much."

Huffing, she teased, "How can I not? You seem like you're melting into the desk." Behind her joking remark was a twinge of anxiety, and the brunet forced himself to sit up and look alive.

"That's better," she giggled, standing up. Smoothing out her skirt, she said, "I have to go. Hana wanted me to help with something, but I wanted to see if you're ok first. Take care of yourself, ok, Tsuna-kun?" With one last smile, she left the brunet's table and walked out the classroom door.

Tsuna reached down to pick up the bento that miraculously made it to school. He unwrapped and opened it, staring at the neatly packaged meal inside. He felt a twinge of guilt for thinking badly of Haru. She had been nice enough to make this bento, strange as it was. After the first taste, he decided that her cooking skills were actually rather good, and vowed to be a little warmer to the girl the next time he saw her.

Gokudera and Yamamoto spent the rest of lunch with Tsuna, keeping the brunet company and making sure that he was alright. Tsuna got through the rest of the day a little better with a full stomach and was tremendously relieved to go home when the bell rang. He had gotten through the day without too much trouble and wanted nothing more than to take a nap at home. Unfortunately, he had a feeling Reborn was not going to allow that.

As usual, Gokudera and Yamamoto followed the brunet home, but today, the Sasagawa siblings joined along. Ryohei seemed preoccupied with something and was quick to voice his thoughts.

"Sawada!" Ryohei roared, the shout ringing in Tsuna's ears. "Why were you not the one to take Kyoko home yesterday?"

"W-What?" Tsuna blinked, quickly remembering the previous day's events. "O-Oh. Well you see-"

"Haha, Tsuna got his pants stuck on a bush and they tore. He didn't want Kyoko to see him like that, and luckily we happened to run into them. I volunteered to take Kyoko home, on Tsuna's request of course." Yamamoto grinned at Ryohei.

The boxer seemed to accept the baseball star's words, as he nodded. "Ohhh I see! Sawada, what a gentlemen to the extreme! I knew Kyoko was in extremely good hands!"

Gokudera grumbled something about baseball idiots and brains made of glove padding while he ran a hand down his face. Kyoko giggled nervously. Tsuna realized that his life had started to turn into one giant lie after another. He had made friends, but he found himself lying to them regularly. It did not bode well with the brunet, but he knew the alternative was harder to deal with.

As the group rounded the corner, they noticed a large congregation of men, all dressed in black suits, outside Tsuna's house. The teens all stopped, staring at the crowd cautiously. Gokudera's hand twitched to his dynamite, but cursed when he realized he had had Yamamoto toss out his cigarettes. Takeshi's grip on his baseball bat tightened. Ryohei was only staring blankly, although slight suspicion crossed his face. Kyoko subconsciously grabbed onto her brother, honey eyes appraising the crowd warily. Tsuna wished he could dive into a hole.

One of the men noticed the teens, and they all stiffened. However, his face lit up, and he shouted something in what Tsuna recognized as Italian. Suddenly, the whole group lined up in disciplined rows, creating a clear pathway to the Sawada residence. Tsuna's jaw dropped, and he took a step backwards.

"I have no idea what they just extremely said!" Ryohei commented loudly, earning a laugh from Yamamoto.

"Haha, hey Gokudera, can you translate for us?"

"Tch. So annoying," the silverette hissed, crossing his arms, although surprise was evident on his face. "I don't know how, but those guys know Juudaime is the Vongola Decimo. That man just announced Juudaime as Boss Tsunayoshi, and everyone seemed to just get into this formation."

Tsuna did a double take, eyes widening. "E-Eh? Why?"

"They clearly recognize your excellence, Juudaime!" Gokudera huffed proudly. "I believe they made a path just for you. Shall we go?"

No warning bells went off in the brunet's head, so he nodded numbly, cautiously leading the way into his house. He felt terribly self-conscious with so many pairs of eyes staring at him. Finally, they reached the front door, and the brunet was never so eager to get into his house. Sounds of lively chatter came from the kitchen. One voice was that of his mother's, but another was of a man with a slight accent. Raising his eyebrows, Tsuna crept over to the kitchen door, peering inside.

Nana Sawada was seated at the table, laughing merrily at something the other man had said. Said occupant was a man with a head of wavy blonde hair framing mesmerizing brown eyes. His prominent nose blended nicely with his structured face. He had on a green jacket with a furry collar, but even the bagginess of the blonde's apparel could not hide his toned chest, emphasized by his tight T-shirt. All in all, this man was very handsome and screamed of model status. Tsuna blushed at the thought, coughing slightly in embarrassment. That caught the attention of the people in the kitchen, and both of them turned their eyes to the teens.

"Oh, Tsu-kun! Welcome home! Oh, and you brought your friends! Please, sit! I'll go get us drinks!" Nana was immediately busying herself with refreshments, and the teens filed into the room with words of thanks.

The stranger immediately waved with a grin that showed off his pearly whites. "Yo, Tsunayoshi!"

Tsuna was caught off guard by the friendliness of the greeting, and stammered, "H-Hel-Hello."

"I met Dino-san while at the restaurant today. Apparently, he's a friend of Reborn's and was looking for him, so I brought him back home with me," Nana explained, pouring a glass of juice.

The blonde sighed, running a hand through his golden locks. Turning back to the teens, he smiled. "Ah, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dino Cavallone, head of the Cavallone Company, which is a group that specializes in raising world-renowned horses for competitions and races. We're also affiliates of the Vongola Corporation."

The last statement made Tsuna tense up. Affiliated with Vongola? That could only mean that…

He caught the glint in Dino's eyes, confirming his suspicions. He gulped, eyes flickering to his mother. She had returned with the drinks and snacks. With a giggle, she said, "I'll leave you guys to talk. Don't keep him too long though! Italy is a long ways away after all, and I'm sure Dino-san is very tired. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise, Sawada-san. Thank you so much for your hospitality." The young Cavallone flashed a winning smile, and Nana blushed.

"Oh, anything for a friend of Reborn's! Enjoy yourselves!" With that, the mother left the kitchen to check on the children upstairs.

Dino started to laugh, beckoning the teens over. "Come on, sit down! I have some business I want to discuss." The five teens took seats quietly. Gokudera was glaring suspiciously at Dino Cavallone, and Tsuna really, really wished that the silverette would just chill it with those piercing stares of his. Yamamoto was smiling obliviously while the Sasagawa's just sat quietly, attentive.

"So, as you guys may have realized, the Cavallone Company is not just a horse-breeding organization. They're mafia." Neither Tsuna nor Gokudera showed surprise, although their faces betrayed apprehension. Yamamoto started to laugh while Ryohei just looked confused as ever. Kyoko was frowning, and Tsuna suddenly wish he had not allowed her to come with them.

"But we do still raise horses. We have some of the best in the world!" Dino grinned, scratching his head.

Kyoko seemed to light up, and she chirped, "Horses?"

Smiling, Dino replied. "Yep! We have some of the loveliest Thoroughbreds in the world. If you ever visit Italy, Miss, I would be honored to show you our stables."

The auburnette smiled slightly, nodding her head timidly.

However, Dino sighed. "Admittedly, it is just a cover, even if the business is very prosperous. The Cavallone Famiglia is the Vongola's closest allied family and has existed for almost as long as the Vongola. I'm the current boss of the Cavallone."

"W-Wait, so why are you here, Cavallone-san?" Tsuna piped up, fidgeting with his shirt anxiously.

Gokudera's eyes narrowed. "That's what I want to know too, _Mr._ Cavallone."

Eyebrows raising, Dino turned to Gokudera. "Hayato Gokudera, am I correct? It's a pleasure to meet the mafia's child prodigy in person. I never imagined that you would join the Vongola Decimo's family." Hayato's eyes flashed, but the Cavallone ignored the action, turning to Tsuna instead. "Ah, Tsunayoshi! Please just call me Dino. Cavallone-san is a little too formal for my liking." The brunet nodded slowly, and the blonde continued his explanation. "Reborn had requested my assistance in his investigation of the yakuza uprisings in Japan lately. I hopped on the first plane to Japan, so here I am! After all, no one ever refuses a request from Reborn." A nervous chuckle escaped from the blonde's mouth.

Tsuna felt himself break out into cold sweat. He understood Dino's implication about Reborn quite well. "T-The yakuza uprisings?"

"Yeah. Reborn said you guys had a run in with them yesterday."

"When exactly did you talk to Reborn?" Hayato cut in, slamming his hand on the table.

"This morning. When I flew in." Dino replied coolly, smiling at the silverette.

"Wait!" Ryohei stood up, pounding his fist into the table. "I'm extremely confused! What is going on? And what did he mean about running into the extreme yakuza yesterday?"

"Stupid Turf Top! Did you forget that you joined Juudaime's family? This guy claims he is an ally of our family, and he's apparently-" Hayato gave a suspicious glance at Dino. "-is here to help us. As for yesterday, you weren't there, so you have no right to know!"

"What was that, Octopus Head?" Ryohei demanded.

"You heard me, idiot!"

Tsuna watched in terror, headache coming back again. Ah, somehow he wished Reborn was here, scary of a thought as it was. Where was the hitman? Stopping Gokudera never seemed to be possible for the brunet. He directed his attention back to Dino and asked, "S-So where is Reborn?"

"He...had some business to attend to." Dino smiled cryptically, and Tsuna felt his eyebrows furrowing. "He asked me to come and meet up with you guys to introduce myself, but I really must be going." The blonde stood up. "I'm staying in a nearby hotel for the duration of my visit. If possible, I'd like to take you there, so you know where to reach me if needed."

Blinking, Tsuna stuttered, "E-Eh?" The table suddenly got quiet, all eyes on Tsuna. "I-I suppose so."

"Yeah, I have a lot of homework tonight, haha. I should probably get going home." Yamamoto laughed.

"Us too! Barbecue night to the extreme!" Ryohei cheered, Kyoko nodding beside him.

Laughing, Dino waved, "Everyone should come along then!" He clapped Tsuna jovially on the back, which ended up exacerbating his headache again. Seriously, what was up with his head today?

"I'll meet you guys outside. I gotta talk to my men. See you outside!" The blonde waved, darting out the front door. The others made to follow, but Gokudera stopped them.

"Wait. I don't trust him." Gokudera stared darkly at the door, and Tsuna was about to question the silverette when he spoke again. "I know about the Cavallone family, and I have never seen this guy before. The head of the Cavallone family is a powerful and well-respected old man. This 'Dino' person is definitely not him."

"W-What?" the brunet gasped, the others showing similar reactions. "And...Reborn hasn't been around all day..."

Yamamoto suddenly started to laugh, catching the others off guard. "Haha, this is getting interesting! A plot twist?"

Tsuna really hoped Yamamoto did not think this whole mafia thing was still a game. Then again, Takeshi had not seen the fight with the yakuza. Somehow, he had a feeling everyone, save the individuals already in the mafia, actually had no idea just how real and dangerous everything was.

Ryohei nodded with conviction. "Oh, exciting to the extreme! We shall keep a close eye on Dino then! Protect our extreme boss Sawada!" He pumped his fists energetically.

"Onii-san..." Tsuna frowned. The boxer interpreted the frown as worry, but not the kind Tsuna had.

"Don't worry, Sawada! We will definitely protect you!"

"Damn straight we will," Gokudera scoffed, "We should head out, else Dino will get suspicious of us."

The three boy guardians went ahead of Tsuna, who lingered in the back with Kyoko. The girl held a thoughtful expression, voicing what was on her mind. "I don't think Dino-san is a bad person. Nothing about him gives me a bad feeling."

The brunet was quiet for a moment before slowly nodding. "To be honest, I feel the same way. Like...a gut feeling."

Outside, almost all of the mafia men, who the teens now assumed were Dino's subordinates, were gone. Only one remained next to the blonde, an older man with a mustache and graying hair.

"Hey guys! I had my men go back first, since a huge group of men in suits was too flashy. This is my most trusted subordinate and friend, Romario." He gestured to the man beside him with a soft smile. Romario smiled and gave a short bow, but said nothing. "In any case, let's go!"

Dino started to lead the way, chatting as he went. Hayato refused to join in the conversation and Tsuna was simply too tired to talk. Ryohei and Takeshi seemed to enjoy themselves, speaking animatedly with the blonde.

It came all of a sudden. Gokudera reacted first as he had sensed the gunpowder in the air from spending so much time with explosives. He pushed Tsuna and Kyoko out of the way just as two grenades rolled into their path. They detonated, causing a huge explosion that knocked Yamamoto and Ryohei from their feet. Kyoko screamed, but Tsuna could not get to her. His head was ringing tremendously, and he lost all sense of his surroundings. Something fell on top of him, but not forcefully.

"Juudaime, are you ok?" Gokudera desperately shouted, and it was with a start that Tsuna realized the weight on top of him was none other than the silverette, acting as a human shield.

Aghast, the brunet tried to move, exclaiming, "Gokudera-kun! I-I'm fine! H-Help the others!" He felt the weight lift, but still had a hard time getting up. With a quick glance around, he saw Kyoko a few feet away on her knees. The boxer and baseball star were back on their feet, fists raised and bat in hand. What surprised him the most was the fact that Dino had a whip in his hand.

The blonde gazed around, shouting, "Keep your guard up! Hidden enemies can strike from anywhere!" Another round of explosives was tossed at them from seemingly all over and the group dodged again.

Suddenly, Ryohei ran towards a wide telephone pole with a roar, swinging his fist around it and making contact with something. A man tumbled out from behind the pole, clutching his arm. The boxer delivered another blow, this time to the enemy's face, effectively knocking him to the ground.

"That's one down, to the extreme!" the older Sasagawa cheered. All around, looks of surprise were on Ryohei, having not expected the boxer's rather accurate attack. There was no time to analyze it, however, as another round of bombs appeared.

In one deft motion, Dino swished his whip forward, letting the tip wrap around some of the airborne explosives. With another swish of his wrist, he sent them flying into the sky. All this happened within the span of a single second. Tsuna watched in amazement as numerous bombs were sent flying, exploding far from the teens.

Just as impressive as the others was Yamamoto, wielding his trusty baseball bat. A look of pure concentration adorned his face as he swung his bat at lightning pace, sending scores of explosives speeding away.

One of the returned grenades hit an apparent hiding place, as a man screamed, sprawling out onto the pavement. He quickly withdrew another grenade and set it off. At this point, however, the teens were defending themselves from everything being thrown at them. Ryohei dodged the bombs and went straight for the culprits, taking out several of them. Before long, one of the enemies shouted, "Retreat!"

The teens panted as they watched the men run off, their faces unidentifiable. Even the knocked out ones seemed had their faces covered. Tsuna was just glad that it seemed like it was over. Ryohei was the first to recover from the sudden ambush. He roared to the heavens, "That was extremely exciting!"

"You guys are all ok?" Dino asked, although it came out sounding more like a statement. "I suppose that was one of the yakuza attacks I've been hearing about?"

"Haha, well, the bombs are new. A group used smokescreen before," Takeshi recalled, tapping his baseball bat on the ground. "But Dino-san, you were pretty awesome with that whip, haha."

In the meantime, Tsuna and Kyoko, with help from Gokudera, got back to their feet. The brunet really just wanted to go to bed now, and despite sounding anxious, he interrupted, "Dino-san, are we almost there yet?"

"Tsuna, is something the matter? You seem tired." The blonde cocked his eyebrows, and the brunet nodded. After studying the small teen, Dino smiled. "Yeah, we're almost there. I'll call someone over to take care of these guys so I can show you where the hotel is. Then go home and get some rest. You might need it." He gave a knowing smile that did not sit well with the brunet, but too tired to question it, he simply nodded.

True to Dino's word, the group arrived at the hotel shortly. After saying their goodbyes, they parted ways with the blonde mafioso and headed back home. Gokudera and Yamamoto assisted Tsuna all the way to his house. As soon as he was home, the brunet went straight to his room to crash on his bed, trying to bring solace to his pounding headache. In fact, his whole body was starting to ache again, and the teen drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning, Tsuna awoke with yet another headache. To add insult to injury, his body was hurting now. It took him a long time to get out of bed, and by the time he finally did, the clock was flashing an ungodly time. However, the brunet made no attempt to rush his morning preparations, feeling like he would collapse any moment now. He considered staying home today, but had the notion that Reborn might throttle him if he did.

Reborn. Tsuna's eyes widened, and he glanced around his room. The baby hitman was still not back. Worry descended on the brunet, although he tried to reassure himself that the hitman was more than capable of taking care of himself. Still…

When the teen got to the kitchen, Reborn was not present either, but neither was Nana. Blinking, he wondered where everyone had gone. The kids were not there, but if Nana had gone out, it made sense that she would take them with her. Running a hand through messy brown locks, Tsuna resigned himself to a fast breakfast of toast, seeing that school would begin in a few minutes. There was absolutely no way that he would get to school in time. He only had enough time to get to his usual intersection…

The intersection. Eyes widening, Tsuna gasped as he remembered a crucial detail. "Oh no…Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto! They were probably waiting for me….oh no!" Quickly, he grabbed his bag and clumsily slid into his sneakers, pulling the door open. The fast movement jarred his head and his vision blurred momentarily. A dark shadow covered the entrance of the door, and Tsuna looked up. His eyes widened when they focused on the figure standing before him.

"Y-You…!"

That was all the brunet managed to get out before his world abruptly shut to black.

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><p><strong>Heehee. Cliffhanger. I know, shoot me. :'D <strong>

**I had originally planned more for this chapter, but it was growing to be too long. I considered writing shorter chapters and updating more frequently, but I think I rather write these long chapters. It takes much longer to update, but it just means more to read for you guys!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed my little take on Hibari's past. Took me a while to decide how it should go, so I hope my readers find it interesting. **

**[1] I named Hibari's father after a former Japanese prime minister who was known as a "commoner and prime minister." In short, he was the first politician from a non-elite family to become prime minister of Japan before his assassination. I was trying to find a suitable name by searching up assassinated Japanese politicians. I also found out that a century ago, being prime minister seemed to almost guarantee you would only leave office through assassination. I didn't look too much into it, but glancing at descriptions and dates, it looks like at least a line of three prime ministers were assassinated in a row. Yikes. **

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><p><em><strong>Replies to reviews:<strong>_

**Connection of Complication: You're welcome! Hope you enjoyed it. :D **

**KitsuneNaru: Anytime! Hope you enjoyed it! **

** xXChu-Chan-Xx:I'm glad I made you feel a little better! I decided I'm not going to really focus on pairings very much since my readers all like pairings that I don't support, so I decided any romance will only be in side stories. Just bits to help develop characters and interactions. Thank you for your updates as well! I've been so busy, and I feel awful for not giving better reviews. T-T **

**Jasmin Liertha: You're too nice to me honey. I think my 2795ness repels people though, LOOOOL. And dude, I love Takeshi to pieces. He's so adorable. I love writing him too, and the interactions between him and other characters. As for flirting…who knows? He's proven to be cleverer than he lets on. ;D And Gokudera was probably really pissed off, so couldn't sleep because of it. Also, my Microsoft Word corrected my "more clever" to "cleverer." I wasn't even aware that cleverer was a word. X_x**

**Yeah, I find that when no one else can, Nana can set the kids straight. C: **

**The whole thing about Haru's past and her overprotectiveness will be revealed later on. I plan to justify her character quirk more, since I think she's just irritating and irrational in the actual series. And man, I really loved having her use the term, "Incognito." I felt it was a very Haru thing to do! XD **

**I'm sure the Sasagawa men are just being too protective of their little princess. I think, if left to her own devices, Kyoko would probably do alright…maybe. She doesn't like to fight though. **

**And Tsuna hasn't gotten over his previous lifestyle just yet. He shouldn't. All those years of bullying and beatings cannot be so easily erased. It will take a lot of time to heal, and that's what this story sets out to do. Although I'm not impartial to completely unraveling it in say…oh…a future arc. :'D For more character development, of course. **

**I didn't want to make Haru particularly overpowered. She shouldn't be a physical fighter in reality, since she's mostly a cosplayer, but I thought she should have some sense of defense, especially since she does gymnastics. She's got some flexibility and reflexes, but probably hasn't been in enough fight situations to use them to their fullest. **

**Ah, I don't want to reveal too much about that yet. That fight scene was simply a foreshadowing of future events. I know it was confusing, but I meant for it to be. And Bahahaha duuuuddeee I had this misunderstanding scene in my head since the beginning of the fic! I'm so glad I finally got to use it. :D **

**The title was supposed to sound like something out of Wizard of Oz. You know, when they say "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!" But yeah, come to think of that, Nana would say something like that, wouldn't she? **

**I don't like that Gokudera smokes. I appreciate that he has an electronic cigarette he uses with his Vongola Gear now though. We never really find out anything about I-Pin in the anime or manga. She's just kinda…there. She is definitely more mature than most kids, so it leaves you wondering why she is how she is, eh? I'm trying to work out some development for Lambo, but it's insanely hard. Hmmmmmmm let's see then.**

**Yes I have the artbook! IT's the most adorable thing ever. xD You should get it! Reborn Colore. C: And Lol, I mean like, really big grammar mistakes, like consistently using a word wrong or something. xD There's little mistakes everywhere because I don't always proofread very carefully. Thanks for the review honey! Do you just write it as you read? **

**Ayz283: Thank you! I sometimes wonder if it's too similar to it, and if people don't like reading things like this, but it's fun to write. As long as I have readers and reviewers who look forward to new chapters, I'll keep writing!**

**Kildosad: Thank you so much! I'm glad you think it's epic! It's my goal for this story. ^^ Thank you for your support. I really, really appreciate it, and it gives me a happy feeling on the inside that makes me happy to write. 3 **

**animepie: I completely understand. I felt like I had to introduce Haru this way though, and it does irk me how she treats Tsuna in the beginning. I went back to the beginning of the manga to reread Tsuna's first meeting with her, and she's a TOTAL bitch. I really, REALLY don't like her. But I'll write her in a way that people can stand her a bit more, though. **

**I'm glad you think so about Kyoko! It bugs me how she means so much to Tsuna, yet her character seems to be portrayed very weakly. None of the females seem to have their roles portrayed very well. It's rather disappointing. **

**Buahahaha. Oh who knows? Maybe Yamamoto is really less naïve than he seems. :'D **

**Namikaze Artemis: I feel like a majority of my readers feel this way about Kyoko, haha. And in all honesty, so does every single one of my friends. They can't fathom how I pair Tsuna with Kyoko, but I like the fact that the auburnette means so much to Tsuna. I do not, however, like how weak and useless she is in the manga. It's pathetic. So I want her to be a bit more useful in this fic, if only just a little more. **

**I decided that romance would not become a central point in this fanfiction, since I never labeled it as a romance fic in the first place. My pairings also don't correspond with the ones my readers like, and I have a feeling that the only thing tethering them to this story is the plot. Plot is what I do best, so I'll stick with it. xD I'm not sure if anyone will end up together in the end, since it's not my specialty, but I do plan on dropping a lot of sexual tension hints throughout. Sexual tension is always more fun than actual romance, isn't it? XD **

**I am glad though, that you enjoy this story. I hope I do not disappoint! Exams have finished and after graduation, I probably have a lot more time to write! Thank you for the review! C:**

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><p><strong>Please read and review! Thanks guys! Love ya all! 3 <strong>

**Cheers!**

**~Alexie**


	10. Bucking Bronco

_**Reviews will be replied to privately from now on!**_

**Hey guys! I decided to update early since this is the_ LAST WEEK OF HIGH SCHOOL FOR ME, EVER!_ As if that's not enough cause for celebration, today also marks the day of my 18th birthday! How cool is that? Last day of high school is my entrance into adulthood! Of course, you guys can tell I act like anything but a grown-up, ahaha…ah…I shouldn't be so happy about that…**

**Anyways, as a treat to all you lovely people who read, follow, and review my story, I decided to update faster this time! Only about a week's wait this time. C: Thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm in this fanfic! It means so much to me that you guys enjoy my story and sometimes even drop me a small review. So thank you.**

**Speaking of, you know what would make a _great_ birthday gift? –coughreviewspleasecough-**

**-smackedtoPluto-**

**Also, I feel like I've gotten into the habit of starting each chapter off with Gokudera and ending with Tsuna. xD**

**Last Chapter: Tsuna was taken to the hospital by Gokudera on Reborn's orders to manage his nose injury while the girls and the kids were escorted home by Yamamoto. Reborn goes to meet Hibari with an offer to fight on the condition that the prefect will join the Vongola if he loses the match. The baby hitman easily defeats the teen, jogging an old memory the boy had of the Arcobaleno. As it turns out, Reborn, along with six other individuals, knew Hibari and his parents well before they were brutally killed by Triad members seeking revenge. Despite obvious reluctance, Hibari agrees to join the Vongola as per the agreement. From the moment Tsuna woke up in the hospital and throughout the following day, the brunet nursed an unusual headache that never seemed to go away. To make matters worse, Reborn seemed to have disappeared after his meeting with Hibari. A handsome Mafioso by the supposed name of Dino Cavallone showed up at the Sawada residence, claiming to be an acquaintance of Reborn's. Gokudera was quick to be cautious, as the he did not recognize Dino from anywhere within the Cavallone family before. On the way to Dino's hotel, Tsuna and his friends were ambushed, although the young Vongolas and Dino easily fought off the culprits. The next day, Tsuna woke up still feeling the effects of his headache and still missing the presence of Reborn. Running late, the brunet moved to rush out of the front door, only to be stopped by a dark figure.**

**Warnings:****Slight violence**

**Disclaimer: Ok, in all honesty, how necessary is this part? This is a FANFICTION site. Clearly, the fandoms these stories were created from were not by the original authors. At least, I'm fairly certain that Amano Akira doesn't write in fluent English. **

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><p><em>Chapter 10: Bucking Bronco<em>

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><p>That was twice too many times that Gokudera was useless to his precious boss: once at the yakuza hideout and the other during the ambush on the way to the hotel. Not being able to protect Tsunayoshi was absolutely unacceptable and completely shameful, so the silverette knew that that had to be remedied by the next day.<p>

As soon as he got home to his crummy apartment after meeting the so-called "Dino Cavallone," Hayato sat down and got to work. Cavallone his ass. The bomber knew that man was up to no good and could not be trusted. He had to find a fix for his bombs to ensure he lived up to his name as the Vongola Decimo's right-hand man. As an expert in his art, Gokudera kept a massive stock of gunpowder and other materials to custom-make his explosives. This made any further customization very simple to do. And right now, Gokudera really needed to do major adjustments to his bombs.

Part of him was still very pissed off with the baseball idiot, but the other part of him knew that the athlete was right. Hayato Gokudera strived to be the best subordinate to Tsunayoshi Sawada as he could be. Poisoning his boss's lungs with toxic smoke was reprehensible at the very least. His heart jumping, the silverette realized that doing the same to himself would cause unnecessary worry from the boss. Perhaps Takeshi Yamamoto was moronic in many ways, but in his aspect, he had nailed the problem perfectly. With an odd mix of relief and annoyance, Gokudera found his exploding anger towards the baseball star fading to feeble sparks.

It was well into the early morning hours when Gokudera finally completed his newest bomb, and he smiled smugly to himself. He flopped onto his bed, quickly grabbing a couple hours of sleep before school started. He would not want to miss meeting his boss at their usual intersection.

However, the next morning, when both he and the moronic baseball star got to their meeting place, the brunet was nowhere to be seen. Hayato reasoned that he was running late. He did not seem to be in good shape the night before, so the silverette simply waited longer. The minutes slipped by and there was still no sign of the brunet. The prodding suspicion swelled into monstrous frenzy when the school bell was to ring in about a minute without any indication of the brunet's arrival.

Resolved in his decision, the bomber took off in a run towards the Sawada household. "I'm going to check Juudaime's house. Just go to school and see if he's there. Then let me know!" Without another word, he ran off, leaving Yamamoto scratching his head.

"Haha...he forgot to give me a contact number..."

A million scenarios ran through Gokudera's head as he ran. His boss might have been kidnapped, or hurt, or collapsed, or tortured, or maybe ki-

He shook his head free of such thoughts, but the worry stayed. Hayato had not forgotten how physically weak Tsuna was, and there was no guarantee that Reborn was with the brunet. That was the side of the brunet that constantly worried the bomber and until he could rest assured that his boss could handle himself, he would guard the young Vongola with vigilance and valor.

The boss's house was very quiet. It was devoid of the sounds of obnoxious laughter from the idiotic cow child and the bustling of kitchen wares. When he tried the doorknob, the door creaked open. At this point, Gokudera stopped. Intruding on his boss's house was offensive to say the least, but...

"This is too important. I'm sorry Juudaime!" Jaw set, the silverette went into the silent house. Nothing seemed out of place and there were no signs of a struggle. Tsunayoshi's room looked as messy, but ordinary, as it usually does. Nothing indicated that anything was wrong with the house other than the lack of occupants. Still, the bomber knew some mafiosos were excellent at covering their tracks, so he was not any less suspicious or worried. Swearing under his breath, Hayato realized that he had not left the baseball idiot any kind of contact information; therefore, he could not go searching for his boss until he confirmed if the brunet was at school or not. He bit his lips, an uncomfortable feeling rising up his chest. He had not had a good smoke in over two days and the lack of nicotine was starting to get to him. But as his boss was more important, the bomber tried to suppress his urges to the best of his ability.

It took only a few minutes to get to school from the Sawada residence at the pace Gokudera was going. Without any tact, the bomber burst into the classroom, shocking his classmate and very incensed teacher. He ignored the instructor's yelling, glancing around the room for any sign of the bushy mess of caramel locks. All he found was the forced smile of Yamamoto and the worried honey eyes of Kyoko. Grinding his teeth, the silverette turned to leave, still ignoring the tirade his teacher was on.

"Hayato Gokudera, if you do not return this second, I will have you _expelled!_"

Gokudera stopped in his tracks, fists clenching tightly at his sides. He could care less about school, but not being at school meant he could not keep a watchful eye over his precious boss, something that he could not afford. Begrudgingly, he faced the teacher, emerald eyes seering. Only slightly ruffled, the older man huffed, "I will not stand for your insolence anymore! Return to your seat, since I can see detention is teaching you nothing. You will remain there for the duration of his lesson. Understood?"

"Tch." Shoving past the teacher, Hayato stomped back into a silent room of wide-eyed classmates, kicking over a trashcan with a furious growl. Yamamoto's fake smile fell, quickly replaced by a concerned frown. He watched Gokudera take his seat with a huff, feet already on the table. The lesson seemed to drag on, especially with the unbearable dark tension in the air.

As soon as the bell rang, Gokudera was on his feet and out the door. The teacher scowled at this and threw his hands up in defeat. In anticipation of this, Takeshi had already packed up so he was ready to follow the fiesty bomber the moment the bell chimed. Kyoko watched the two go, wishing so much that she could go with them, but something told her she had no place of use where they were headed. Without a doubt, Tsuna's absence and Gokudera's anger had something to do with their "mafia" game.

"What's up with those two?" Hana mumbled from next to Kyoko, surprising the auburnette. She fidgetted with her fingers, honey eyes gazing at the door.

"I really wish I knew too..." she breathed.

Yamamoto caught up with Gokudera, grabbing his shoulder. "Wait, where are we going?"

"_We're _not going anywhere!" Hayato whirled around, eyes aflamed. "I'll handle this myself. Just stay out of my way." He started to run off again, but Takeshi grabbed his loose jacket.

"Tsuna is as much of my friend as he is yours. I'm coming with you." Ambers bore into emeralds, both contending to outshine the other.

"He's my boss. I have a duty to protect him. You're just an extra that Reborn recruited." Gokudera felt the slightest bit of guilt at that statement. Although Hayato was reluctant to admit it, Takeshi was not without his merits.

Suddenly, a dark look crossed the baseball star's face. "Wasn't the point of this game so that we all work together for our boss, Tsuna? Isn't that what mafia families do? Work as a team to ensure the safety and prosperity of their boss?"

Gokudera was not sure if he was more surprised by the look on the athlete's face or the words coming from his mouth. "Do you honestly think this whole thing-" He scowled, "-is just a game? Are you serious?"

Blinking, Yamamoto started to ask, "What do you me-"

"Oh! It's Yamamoto and Gokudera!" Ryohei popped out from his classroom, startling the two teens with his outburst. "What are you guys doing? Break extremely ends in a few minutes!"

"None of your business, Turf Top!" Gokudera seethed, furious that he was already delayed so long. He stomped away, leaving Yamamoto with the boxer.

"What is going on, to the extreme?" the Sasagawa demanded and started to go after the bomber, but Yamamoto stopped him.

Smiling, the baseball star explained, "It's part of the game. Tsuna went missing, so we're going to look for him." The smile did not reach his eyes, but Ryohei took no notice.

"Oh, that's extreme! I will come along!" Ryohei pumped his fists energetically, running after the silverette without any qualms about skipping class. Takeshi followed closely behind, confusion clouding his ambers.

Overhead, Hibari watched the three teens leave school from the perch of his office, hands itching to his tonfas. He had been given instructions by a certain hitman baby to not interfere with the actions of a specific list of individuals. It had something to do with his "obligation" to the family. If it was not for the prefect's respect for the hitman, he would not have complied. Turning from his window, the prefect strode out, eager to find late stragglers or class-ditchers to take his wrath out on.

Gokudera was definitely not happy with the two pieces of baggage tagging along. Both of them were inexperienced and could potentially cause dangerous and fatal mistakes, so Hayato still could not fathom why Reborn would bring ignorant teenagers into the family.

"Oi, Octopus Head, where are we going?" shouted Ryohei as they ran, greatly irritating the bomber.

"Dino's hotel, of course!" He growled. "If there's anyone who is suspicious, it's that guy. He's probably behind Juudaime's disappearance!"

Takeshi seemed thoughtful as they ran along. As he was about to voice his opinion on the matter, a lurking shadow caught his eye. Immediately, he had his baseball bat out of its wrap and in hand. Just in time too, as a sharp dagger shot straight at the teen, only to be deflected by the aluminum bat. Ever since Yamamoto had sworn himself to Tsuna, he had been carrying his bat as a "weapon" around to make the mafia game more realistic. Gokudera's earlier words came back to him and a solemn look swept across his face. The bat seemed to be more useful than he had originally anticipated.

Gokudera and Ryohei were already on alert, scanning for their hidden enemies. Unconsciously, the three stood with their backs facing each other, covering the other two. "Think they're the same guys as yesterday?" Yamamoto asked, amber eyes flicking around.

"Who else would extremely attack us?" Ryohei commented, raising his fists.

Gokudera said nothing, withdrawing dynamite from within his lapel. With a smirk, he pulled the strings on his dynamites and they lit up in crackling sparks. "We'll just smoke those bastards out then." He ignored the sudden craving for his cancer sticks, tossing his sparkling bombs out with flourish to encircle the group.

With incredulous eyes, Takeshi watched the bomber employ his new explosives, a smile stretching back around his face. The bomber had found a new mechanism to light his dynamite without the use of his cigarettes, filling the baseball star with deep respect. The bombs wore through the paper of the dynamite to get to the gunpowder contents within and exploded beautifully, scattering the dust and smoke that billowed out.

Hayato smirked in triumph. The new bombs worked better than he had expected. It was slightly risky since he had not had a true test run with them, but they worked flawlessly. As an added bonus, the time it took to pull the strings was less than using his cigarettes to light them, even proving to be more convenient. One sleepless night was worth the results it yielded.

Sounds of coughing filled the air as a ring of men emerged from the clouds of dust, all armed with blades or daggers. The three teens tensed at their numbers. There were easily at least three times as many enemies. Gokudera felt like he could take them out with his explosives, but if either of the two others got in his way, that could prove troublesome.

"Let me handle this," the silverette growled, brandishing more dynamite. He threw them with deadly accuracy, watching them explode once again. However, flashes of silver shot out from the smoke and imbedded themselves into Gokudera's arm. He howled and recoiled in pain, staring down at two small blades stuck in his arm.

"Octopus Head!" Ryohei gasped, immediately pulling the silverette out of the path of two more daggers. "Your extreme dynamite is providing them cover! Let us handle this!"

With violent movements, the two blades were pulled out by the irate bomber himself and returned to their owners with speedy flights. In his blind rage, though, Gokudera missed his targets, only furthering his anger. However, it did not seem like his bombs were wasted. The men within the explosion's range sported various burns and a couple of them were writhing on the ground. Yamamoto and Ryohei caught sight of those few men, eyes widening in shock.

"Gokudera! Your bombs burned them!" Takeshi yelped.

"No shit!" Gokudera clutched at his bleeding arm, teeth gritted. "What did you think they were? Cheap toys?"

Ryohei grabbed Gokudera's collar angrily. "Oi, we're hurting them to the extreme, Octopus Head! We can't-"

"It's us or them!" he shouted back, shoving bandaged boxer hands away. "Do you morons honestly still think this is some game? Snap out of it. Shit's real." As if to prove his statement, the assailants began their assault again, some running in directly for close combat, figuring the bombs would not be used if they were closer in range. There was no wait for the boys to talk things out.

Something was different about the enemies today. The teens got the distinct feeling that they were more bloodthirsty, although that may have been because of the grueling failure of the ambush the previous day. It was not confirmed that the enemies were from the same group, in any case. Not that it mattered, of course, since it did not make the situation any less deadly.

Unfortunately for the attackers, two of the teens excelled in close range combat.

Ryohei took each opponent in stride, keeping light on his toes to dodge each slash of a blade and keeping his muscled forearms up to block every punch aimed his way. When he found openings, he delivered devastating punches to the temple that knocked each opponent down without fail.

Gokudera huffed to himself. At least the boxer seemed to be holding his own, even when two opponents tried to ambush him. His attention distracted, the silverette failed to notice an approaching attacker until Yamamoto's bat slammed into the enemy's hip. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

The serious expression that Yamamoto was wearing quite often today was on his face again as he brandished his bat before him. "Us or them, you say? Fine. But-" He swung his bat at an incoming blade, knocking it away with a sharp clang. "This is rather interesting." A strange smile stretched across his lips, an odd, almost predatory look, entering his ambers. Hayato felt a single shiver shooting down his spine and for a second, he found himself understanding why Reborn may have invited Yamamoto to the family.

Not to be outdone by the two of them, Gokudera reached into his pocket for the particularly miniscule bombs he had saved for occasions like these. As an assailant turned his attacks on the silverette, he ripped the strings to set the bombs ablaze before grabbing the man and slamming his hands onto his chest, pushing the mini explosives against it. When they exploded, the searing pain ripped through Gokudera's hand, but it was nowhere near the pain felt by the unfortunate culprit. He screamed in agony, falling to the ground and clutching his chest. What a nasty mistake it was for him to underestimate the bomber.

Just like the previous day, the assailants lost despite their number advantage. As inexperienced as they were, the teens had uncanny battle abilities, none of which the enemies have seen in other teenagers their age. The ground was littered in burned and bruised bodies and by now, Gokudera was absolutely seething. He grabbed one of the still conscious culprits, shaking him violently. "You bastards, attacking us like that." He growled, "Where's Juudaime? I know you bastards took him! I bet you're even working with Dino Cavallone!"

"W-What? I don't know noth-" The shaken man tried to say, but Gokudera jerked him harder.

"I swear to god, I'll burn your face right off if you don't tell me where my boss is." Hayato was practically screaming now, his grip on the man's shirt so tight that his raw palms began to bleed into the fabric. "Tell me right now!"

The man seemed to recover from the shock and was now smirking. "So what if we have him? Ain't telling you where we're keeping him. We in the _Quartet-_" he spoke the name with pride, "-Don't tell nothing to sniveling brats like you guys."

He was out like a light as he finished that statement, courtesy of an infuriated punch delivered by Gokudera. He dropped the unconscious man on the ground, moving on to the next conscious mobster. At this rate, Ryohei was beyond uncomfortable with the silverette's actions and grabbed the teen by the shoulders. "I extremely don't understand what's happening, but I don't like how you're dealing with these guys! Let me handle the next one, Gokudera!" He refrained from using the nickname as he could sense the animosity flaring from the bomber. Without waiting for an answer, the boxer grabbed the terrified man and held him up to eye level. Glowing ashen eyes bore into the mobster before them and Ryohei roared, "WHERE IS SAWADA, TO THE EXTREME?"

Apparently, Ryohei's show of intimidation was more effective in cowing the man, for he screamed, "I-I'll take y-you to him!"

Satisfied, the teen turned him around, securing the man's arms in a tight hold. "Lead the way, to the extreme!"

Around this moment, a certain brunet started to come to, vaguely aware of voices near him. If not for the incessant throbbing of his head, he might have shot up immediately. Instead, he tried to focus in on the voices.

"-do that?"

"-worried he...attack…-tated him."

"-ness sakes…didn't have to hit him so hard! You weren't even supposed to do that in the first place!" [1]

That voice…was so familiar…

"We're sorry, Dino-sama."

Tsuna's eyes flew open, regretting it immediately as his eyes were bombarded by the bright lights overhead. Gasping, he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to tame his headache.

"Ah, Tsuna! You're awake!" Dino's jovial voice bounced over the pain and the brunet found himself opening his eyes again, albeit more cautiously this time.

"D-Dino-san?"

Rubbing his head, the blonde chuckled sheepishly. "Haha, yeah…how are you feeling?"

Tsuna tried to sit up, but ended up rolling onto his stomach instead. He found he was on a rather large bed, but did not think much of it. "My head…really hurts…" The brunet could almost feel the accusing glare that Dino shot at his subordinates. Moments later, a door opened and closed and room grew silent.

Rolling onto his side, Tsuna glanced around the room, coming to a conclusion. "A-Am I in your hotel room?"

Dino sighed, taking a seat on a large armchair. He had a luxury suite, of course, so the accommodations were rather extravagant. The king-sized bed Tsuna currently laid on was no exception. "Yeah. My men brought you here after they-" The Cavallone huffed in annoyance. "-knocked you out. I'm sorry Tsuna, I should have stopped them before they did it, since I was there and all. My plan…wasn't thought out very well." Dino gave a nervous chuckle, casting an apologetic gaze at the brunet.

Memories suddenly rushed back and the brunet remembered Dino's distinctive figure on his front porch earlier this morning. Or perhaps it was still morning; the teen was still rather disconnected from reality. "Plan?"

"Uh huh." Dino grinned. "You see, I wanted to test your men to make sure they were trustworthy and loyal to you. I was fairly surprised to see Hurricane Bomb here since I've heard some nasty stories about him. About how he's a delinquent who always picked fights, never staying close to anyone or forming any friendly relations. Not only did he stick by your side like glue, he was so suspicious of me, as he should have been. I'm impressed, Tsuna!" The blonde laughed merrily. "I can tell that Hayato Gokudera is extremely attached to you. You have yourself a very strong ally."

"H-huh?" Tsuna was having a difficult time absorbing all this information. Any thoughts about being discreet with information seemed to fly out of his head. "W-Wait. Gokudera said you weren't the boss of the C-Cavallone family. He said an old man was." Confused caramel eyes gazed over the blonde, and Dino's own chocolate orbs flashed another apologetic look.

"Ah, sorry sorry! I suppose I should explain myself better." Dino hummed. "Gokudera was raised in the mafia, so he knew many of the important members, like my father. He must have thought that the Cavallone family was still led by him. Up until a few months ago, when my father died, he would have been right." The young Cavallone went silent, and Tsuna felt sudden guilt for unknowingly touching on a sensitive topic.

"I-I'm sorry."

Sighing, Dino waved off Tsuna's apology. "No worries. A beloved family member's passing will always be painful, no matter what." A sad smile fell on the blonde's lips. "But that pain in your heart can be mended by the love of the ones who are still living. That's how I deal with it. My men care for me, and that's more than enough to help me through each day."

After a moment of silence, Dino continued, "To be honest, I was a shut-in for most of my life, so it's not a surprise that Gokudera's never heard of me. No one except immediate family and mansion servants knew of my existence. Since I was young, I've been terribly clumsy, so my father kept me indoors to minimize my chance of getting into a major accident. Of course, I still fell down stairs and tripped over thresholds." The blonde spoke of his flaws as easily as breathing air and Tsuna could not help but be jealous of how the older man accepted his mistakes so easily.

"My father kept my existence a secret in order to keep me safe from enemy families. As my family's only child, I was to inherit the title of Boss after my father died, as unfit for the position as I was. Unlike the Vongola, in which no rightful heir inherited the family after the First Generation, the Cavallone's have been adhering to tradition and giving the position of Boss to the eldest surviving child of each generation. As a result, I had to be boss, whether I wanted to or not. And I didn't want to, because I thought myself unworthy and didn't want that kind of dangerous burden on my shoulders." Dino's eyes clouded over and a nervous look crept onto his face. "Then, Reborn came."

This story was sounding awfully familiar to Tsuna. The brunet felt immense pity for Dino, who had apparently already gone through what the poor brunet was now experiencing. "Y-You were a student of R-Reborn's?"

"Yeah…you should understand what that means, huh Tsuna?" Dino licked his lips nervously as he spoke. Oh, Tsuna understood very well. "He came because my father asked him to train and watch over me after his death. I tried to resist my destiny as long as I could, but Reborn was adamant in fulfilling my father's dying wish." The nervous expression faded, replaced by a small smile. "But Reborn wasn't all bad. As I mentioned, I was a mess that father tried to hide from the world. When no one else believed me, Reborn did." The smile widened. "He said I had potential. Sure, his training was hell and I found myself resenting many of the things he forced me to do, but it all went towards strengthening me in both body and spirit. He believed that I could be an excellent boss, and over time, I realized that I could be too. That's why I think you can be as well!"

Tsuna listened intently, absorbing everything the Cavallone said. Dino, in many ways, was exactly like him. However, unlike Dino, the brunet had yet to overcome his biggest issue. "B-but Dino-san, you were raised in the mafia. B-becoming boss might have seemed n-normal to you." He looked down, frowning. "I live an ordinary life. I-I don't want t-to be involved in the m-mafia. I…" He looked up, desperation on his face. "I can't be a boss. I have no reason to want to be part of the mafia."

"Tsuna." Dino paused. "I said the exact same things to Reborn. Do you know how he replied?"

The brunet shook his head slowly, eyebrows furrowed. Chuckling, Dino continued, "Well, first he kicked me in the head." Tsuna cringed. Point taken. " But then, he told me that the mafia is not just a syndicate. It's a family. If nothing else, fight for your family." The teen blinked, surprised by the answer. "Reborn helped me get subordinates. Once I had men who were loyal to me, I knew I had to stay. I also owed it to them to become a stronger and more proper boss. Each and every one of my men is as precious as my own life and I protect them as they protect me. The mafia is a family that stands strong together as one unit. The subordinates will protect their boss, but that boss must do everything he can to protect his men. You must always remember this, Tsuna."

At a loss for words, Tsuna just stared blankly. Now grinning, Dino leaned back in his chair, stretching a bit. "Tell me more about your subordinates. I'd love to hear about them."

"M-My subordinates?" Tsuna gaped. "N-No, they're just friends."

"Well alright. Tell me about your friends." Dino raised an eyebrow.

"W-Well…" The brunet looked down again, wondering where to start. He felt surprisingly lighthearted in Dino's presence. The blonde had such a friendly air about him that Tsuna felt sheepish for suspecting him of foul play the previous day. That unusual gut instinct of his had been right. "Well, Gokudera…I thought he was r-really scary at first, but once I got to know him better, h-he was easier to be around. He lets his temper get the best of him a lot, but he means well. He's always defending me and protecting me from danger, even though I don't think I deserve so much. He hated me at first, t-that much was obvious, but something changed his opinion. I'm still not sure what it was, but he seems to respect me greatly now. My gut…tells me he's sincere. It's really embarrassing how he always stands up for me because I know I'm not as great as he makes me sound. I'm glad I met him though, even though it was only a couple of weeks ago."

Dino smiled as Tsuna's stuttering disappeared. A spark seemed to come to life as the brunet spoke, and once he started, it seemed like he could not stop. The words flowed out too easily. "Yamamoto is amazing. He's tall, athletic, handsome, kind, and very popular. I wouldn't have ever expected that he would come to me of all people for advice, but he did. I felt so excited and honored without actually seeing him as a person. I nearly caused him to commit suicide…" Tsuna cringed at the memory. "But I managed to talk him out of it. He became my friend so easily, and I enjoy his company very much. He's…very calming. I feel more at ease with him around, even though I don't want him involved with the mafia."

Tsuna suddenly frowned. "Reborn had invited Yamamoto without my permission. I couldn't stop him afterwards. He asked two others to join, and they agreed as well." He clenched his fists. "Ryohei…Onii-san…he scares me a little sometimes. Well, he actually confuses me more than anything. I don't know of anyone else with as much energy and spirit as he has. He never lets anything get him down and I find myself wishing that I could be like that more too. He's really loud, but he's also very strong. I look up to him as my senior. His sister…"

Pink dusted his cheeks, something that did not go unnoticed by Dino. The blonde's smile only widened. "Kyoko is…she's absolutely incredible. She's so smart and beautiful, and a lot of guys at school like her." His blush increased to a deeper scarlet hue. "Her kindness is unconditional, and when no one else was nice to me, she was. It didn't matter to her if I was Dame-Tsuna or not. It was the little things she did for me that made me admire her so much. More than anyone else, I want to keep her away from the mafia, but Reborn went and invited her and her brother into the Vongola!"

With an exasperated sigh, Tsuna continued, "My mom took in three kids and they're all in the mafia at such young ages! There's Futa, who's always being chased by the mob because of abilities that I'm not even exactly sure what they are. Then there's Lambo, who was outcasted from his own family for being too weak. I-Pin is already a trained assassin for the Chinese Triad, and even though she has a really sweet heart, she's forced to kill for a living. And she looks like she's barely five years old!"

Tsuna's speech increased in speed, his expression becoming more distressed as he went on. "And there's this girl from my neighborhood named Haru who got tangled up in one of the yakuza fights. She seemed to hate me at first, but for some reason, just like Gokudera, she seems to respect me now. I don't think she's a bad person, but I feel like Reborn will pull her into the mafia as well. Then there's our terrifying school prefect. He's so powerful, so maybe I shouldn't worry, but I still do. He's taken an interest to Reborn, so that can't be good news for anyone."

Caramel eyes seemed to glitter with unshed tears, betraying the brunet's sadness. "As I met new people and became friends with them, I found that we actually had things in common. I could relate to them on some level and I found myself feeling worried over them, something I had never felt before. I don't want kids to be in the mafia. It's such a cruel robbery of their childhood. I have a lot of problems that I have to deal with, but somehow, I feel like my problems just don't compare to the ones they have to endure daily from the mafia." He locked gazes with Dino. "I don't want to be in the mafia. I just want friends, and I want them to be safe."

Silence fell. Seconds ticked by into minutes. Finally, Dino smiled softly and chimed, "Tsunayoshi Sawada, you're going to make a great Vongola Decimo."

"Hiii?" the brunet squeaked. "I-I just s-said-"

"Oh, I heard you. However," Dino laughed, "You'll understand someday, just like I did. You'll see." He stood up to walk over to Tsuna, but somehow, he got his foot caught on the plush carpet, falling unceremoniously onto the ground.

"D-Dino-san?" Tsuna gasped, climbing off the bed to help the blonde. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Rubbing his head, the Cavallone sheepishly admitted, "I'm still very clumsy, despite Reborn's intense training. I may have improved tremendously in these past few months, but I still have problems managing myself without a subordinate nearby."

Tsuna deadpanned at his statement. Dino really took his sole dedication to his subordinates to a new level. He helped the fallen blonde to his feet, feeling his headache making a return, along with a few key points.

"W-Wait! I have school today!" gasped the brunet, as he looked around frantically. "O-Oh no, I'm so late!"

Dino chuckled, ruffling Tsuna's messy brown hair. "Don't worry yourself! I called in sick for you so I can test your subordinates. They probably think you've been kidnapped by me if Gokudera had anything to say about your disappearance. They're probably on their way over here right now. That's why I led you guys to this hotel in the first place, so that they had a clue where to go. This is actually one of the many hotels run by the Vongola, so I get a huge discount!"

"They think I've been _kidnapped?_" Tsuna was aghast by this information, and Dino held his hands up in defense.

"Probably. But it's all part of the test! The attackers from yesterday were my men too. I had to test their fighting abilities. Of course, I told them not to attack to kill, so no one was in any real danger. Don't worry!" Dino was scared that he might give the brunet a stroke at the moment, since he seemed so distressed. "I have my men watching them all over town to make sure they don't get into any trouble. Everything is totally fine!"

No sooner had he said that, the door to the hotel room burst open. Tsuna recognized the man at the door as Romario, but the expression on the older man's face was foreboding. "Dino-sama!"

Recognizing trouble immediately, the blonde boss furrowed his eyebrows, going on alert. "Romario, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Sir, it's the kids!" His eyes glanced at Tsuna, who felt a chill run down his spine. "They were attacked by a group of yakuza belonging to the Quartet and managed to defeat the ten assailants there."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?" Dino's frown deepened. "What happened afterwards?"

"They ran off with one of their attackers. I think they're headed towards the Quartet's hideout."

Dino's mouth went slack. "What? You guys were supposed to watch them to avoid things like this! Why aren't you stopping them?"

"Would they have believed our men if they tried to tell them the truth?" Romario reasoned, looking very tired.

Running a hand through his hair, Dino groaned. "Fair enough. We gotta go then. No matter how good they are, the Quartet isn't a group to be taken lightly. Tsuna, let's go." He ran for the door, but the brunet's frantic cry stopped him.

"W-Wait!" He turned to Romario, terrified. "W-Who were they? Which of my friends d-did you see?"

"Three boys. One was the Hurricane Bomb. Another had a tan complexion and black hair while the third had white hair and limbs in bandages."

Tsuna visibly slacked with relief. Kyoko was not with them. Despite his physical discomfort, the brunet started to follow Dino. The blonde wasted no time in leading the way out of the hotel and giving chase after the trio.

Said trio were currently walking down a quiet street in the shabbier part of town. The captured yakuza led them around a corner before saying, "We're here. It's that bar right there." He had calmed down during the trip when the teenagers had not hurt him.

Gokudera huffed, walking up the stairs to the door and slamming it open. The bar was almost empty save for a couple of men sitting at tables and drinking by themselves. It seemed like any other ordinary, run-down bar with apathetic drinkers. However, when the bartender saw the teens drag in their captive, his expression darkened.

"What the hell do you brats want?" he snarled, reaching into his pocket.

Immediately, the silverette brandished several sticks of dynamite, stopping the supposed bartender in their motion. "Move any more, and I'll blow this place sky high. Where's your main room?"

Smirking, the man crossed his arms. "It's the door behind me. I'll let you through because you're going to get your asses handed to you.

"We'll see about that," Gokudera hissed. He strode forward with Yamamoto close behind. Ryohei let his captive go and quickly followed his companions while the man rubbed his sore arms.

A long tunnel stretched out behind the door. The teens followed it down in silence, listening to the loud chattering up ahead. At the end was a dimly lit room filled with men drinking and smoking strange smelling substances, laughing obnoxiously or shouting obscenities at the other occupants. Eyes immediately trained on the trio when they entered.

"Who let the little shits in?" One man glowered at the teens, waving his beer bottle towards them.

The silverette ignored the men, bellowing out, "Where is our boss?"

Collected sounds of confusion arose. "Boss? What the hell are you talking about?"

One of the less intoxicated men gasped. "Hey, it's those guys Rokudo told us to go after!" Suddenly, the room tensed and all sounds died down. Gokudera frowned, feeling an odd sense of dread. Rokudo…why was that name so familiar?

"Didn't we send men to take care of that?" Another man sighed. "Useless shits. Now we have to clean up after them." He stood up, pulling out a small dagger.

If the yakuza were going to just ignore him, Hayato would just need to beat the answer out of them. Yamamoto seemed to sense the silverette's belligerence and stepped forward. "Now now, let's just talk for a moment," he said lightheartedly, an exasperated smile on his face. "We're looking for our boss. We were told by one of your companions that he's here. So." The smile suddenly dropped, replaced by a foreboding look. "Where is he?"

"Yeah! We want Sawada back!" Ryohei roared, fists raised.

Again, confusion spread throughout the room and a man shouted, "We don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

A response came in the form of a barrage of lit dynamite, exploding in the middle of the yakuza congregation. Screams erupted all around and men scrambled out of the smoke, going for their weapons propped against the wall. Takeshi sighed. Words never seemed to work.

A red sports car sped along the roads of Namimori with three anxious occupants inside. Tsuna had grilled Dino for information about the Quartet and was not pleased at all to find out that they were another powerful and corrupt yakuza group in Namimori. It worried him that Gokudera Yamamoto, and Ryohei were rushing right into another yakuza hideout. As if the last time was not bad enough!

"Where has Reborn been?" Tsuna suddenly cried. It was strange that the brunet had already become dependent on the hitman's presence; he found that going to another yakuza hideout without him was twice as terrifying as the previous day.

"Investigating with Bianchi. I didn't lie when I said Reborn called me here to help with his investigation. Thing is, there was a recent mass jail break at a high-security mafia prison. Among the escapees is Mukuro Rokudo. Reborn told you about the Estraneo incident, right? He mentioned it to you because Rokudo is the boy who massacred the family." [2]

Icy chills ripped through the brunet and dread settled like lead in his stomach. A strange sense of foreboding rocked his core even though the brunet had yet to see the connection between this Rokudo guy and everything else.

As if reading his mind, Dino narrowed his eyes, lips pursed. "The criminal yakuza in Namimori usually act independently and quietly, but as of late, they have been bolder in their movements and have been collating with each other. Not only that, but they have been very organized, as if someone has been giving them orders. These gangs have considerable power and only a very powerful individual would be capable of subduing them all under his control. The Vongola have been investigating all strange occurrences within the mafia worldwide after the jailbreak, and we have reason to believe that Rokudo is behind the Namimori uprisings."

"Then…the Quartet…?"

"Most likely sent by Rokudo to attack your friends. However, I have no idea why or what Rokudo's motives are in taking control of the local yak-"

A tumultuous pop suddenly resounded from outside the car and the vehicle veered out of control. The passengers gave off frenzied yelps as Romario tried to regain control of the car. His foot slammed on the brakes, forcing the car to a halt. Heart pounding in his head, Tsuna gasped, "What happened?"

Dino was out of the car in an instant, eyes immediately catching sight of the problem. Sharp needles were imbedded into what was now a flat tire, which explained why the car spun out of control. The unnatural occurrence begged the question of who would have deliberately done such a thing.

It did not take long for the Cavallone to come to a conclusion. Dragging a disoriented brunet out of the sports car, Dino broke out into a run, pulling Tsuna along. "We need to go. Someone is determined to stop us." The older man yelled out over his shoulder. "Romario! Leave the car! There's no point in staying around when the enemy is nearby!" The subordinate affirmed his boss's order by following immediately. Tsuna felt a chill go down his spine and turned around, his eyes landing directly on a dark shadow that was not meant to be there. Squeaking, he turned his head back forward, praying the scary shadow would just go away. That it would all go away. He could only hope his friends were alright.

At the bar, the trio found that being outnumbered was starting to take a toll. Gokudera especially was having difficulty keeping up at this point from the laceration in his arm and his raw palms. The tiny room had no ventilation, so the smoke from his explosions only seemed to settle, choking the air with particulates. This had forced him to cease the usage of his dynamite.

Yamamoto was not faring much better. The baseball star was surrounded by enemies all wielding weapons of their own, ranging from pipes to wooden swords. As fast as his swings were, Takeshi could only handle so many people at once and soon found himself walled in by a ring of men. One man swung at him, so the teen dodged, only to be taken by surprise by another incoming attack. The blunt weapon slammed into Yamamoto's face, causing the teen to go sprawling back and release his bat, which went flying across the floor.

Taking notice of the baseball star's predicament, the silverette growled, withdrawing a few of his smaller bombs. "Stupid baseball idiot!" He tossed the explosives within the circle. Yamamoto's eyes widened when he saw them, diving out of the way just in time to avoid the explosion, although he certainly felt the heat released. The yakuza who had not dodged in time screamed in surprise. The bombs were only good for a distraction for the athlete to get away, especially since he was weaponless now.

"Why don't you brats just give up? Make it easier on yourself. You're way outnumbered." One of the yakuza jeered at the teens, starting a chain reaction within the room.

Ryohei, who had been dealing with a large circle of opponents himself, suddenly roared, "NO, TO THE EXTREME. There's no way we will back down when our friend's life is extremely at stake!" The added steam and vigor from his aroused spirit seemed to amplify his next punch, which physically sent the unfortunate target flying back several feet, knocking over another man. In the corner of his eye, he saw Yamamoto struggling without his bat. The boxer's current attacker had a wooden sword in handle, swinging it like a madman. His sloppy movements were easy to dodge for the seasoned boxer. He grabbed the sword, gripping it tightly as he decked the wielder with an uppercut, forcing him to let go of his weapon.

"Yamamoto!" he called out, tossing the sword to the teen. Takeshi caught it by the handle, a chill coursing up the arm holding the weapon. Something felt oddly right about holding the sword and with one swift swing, the yakuza that had been charging at him fell to the ground, clutching his injury. Takeshi held the wooden blade with both hands, pure concentration on his face. The fierce look was enough to intimidate a few of the men, who retreated slightly.

It was seriously irking Gokudera how useful the other two actually seemed compared to him. Of course, he had more firepower – quite literally – but in this tight space, the dynamites presented too many hazards.

Hazards…

Blinking, the silverette glanced up at the ceiling, finding it was made of only wooden beams. Oh, it was risky and callous, but it could end everything in one move.

He withdrew some of his heavier duty explosives, curling his lips as he pulled the strings. With a mighty throw, he sent them flying for the beams and he immediately ran back.

"Baseball idiot! Turf Top!" He gestured towards the ceiling. Yamamoto got it immediately, also retreating, but Ryohei looked up in confusion.

"What, Oct-"

The bombs detonated, ripping the ceiling apart. It collapsed, creating panic and chaos in the room. Most of the yakuza were buried under the falling rubble. Ryohei barely leapt out of the way in time, aided by Yamamoto's swift parry of a chunk of falling wood. All around, mobsters were moaning or coughing from the smoke. The ones who had avoided the collapse were now aiding their companions, the teens forgotten. Gokudera smirked, leaning against a wall tiredly. Yes, he got the last word in.

"Octopus Head! That was extremely dangerous!" The boxer was frowning deeply, fists clenched before him. "You could have hurt us!"

"Seriously, Gokudera." Yamamoto's expression had lightened to a soft frown, "We could have been caught in that. I think you went overboard by blowing up their hideout. They didn't deserve it."

"Didn't deserve it?" Hayato quipped, emerald eyes flashing. "They have Juudaime!"

"Gokudera?"

Eyes practically bugging out of his head, the bomber whirled around to see his boss standing behind him, gawking. He looked very much alive and unharmed, or at least, had not sustained new injuries since the night before.

"Juudaime!" Relief flooded his tense face and the silverette beamed brightly. "You're ok!" He fell into a kowtow, repeatedly bowing. "I must apologize profusely! I have failed as your right hand man and left you in harm's way! I'm sorry, Juudaime!" Every word he said was spoken with true sincerity. He had been so terrified of his failure and to see the brunet was a huge burden off of his heart.

Dino, along with Romario, had been next to Tsuna the whole time, gaping at the scene along with him. Hayato had been too focused on his boss to notice the blonde until he spoke. "Dear lord! What in the world happened here?"

The damage was not pretty. The sky was visible overhead because half of the hideout's ceiling had collapsed over a majority of the Quartet members. Any remaining walls, floorboards, or furniture were charred or broken from the constant bombardment of explosives. Every single occupant in the room was covered in dust, with many coughing to get rid of any that they had inhaled. It looked like a fiery storm had rampaged through the room and Dino was fairly certain that its name was Hayato Gokudera.

"Y-You guys. Y-You're alright." Tsuna breathed in relief, trying to calm his pounding heart. On the way over here, he had been terrified for his friends, but it seemed like they handled themselves fine…and more.

"Haha. Tsuna, you were with Dino this whole time?" Yamamoto started to laugh, although it was a rather humorless one.

Suddenly, Hayato stopped bowing, leaping to his feet in a fury. "You bastard! You did kidnap Juudaime, and you sent your men after us!"

"Woah, woah, calm down there, Hurricane Bomb." Dino crossed his arms, sighing heavily. "I didn't exactly 'kidnap' Tsuna. I took him with me this morning to create a scenario where it looked like he was kidnapped in order to test you three. I wanted to see if you were worthy of serving the future Vongola Decimo. My men were supposed to attack you to test you, but they were beat to the punch. These aren't my men." He grimaced. "They're real yakuza, and powerful ones at that. You pass the test, even though it was far from what I had planned or expected."

"Wait…I extremely don't get it!" Ryohei interrupted, confusion written all over his face. "What does this whole thing mean?"

Scowling, Gokudera slammed a fist into the wall next to him. "It means we were tricked." Tsuna being alright and in the presence of Dino was proof enough that the Cavallone was speaking the truth. "This bastard set us up to test our loyalty and strength. What kind of sick joke is that?"

"Now now." Yamamoto suddenly jumped in, sensing the atmosphere quickly dropping several degrees. "Everything's alright now, so it's fine, right? Tsuna is safe and the bad guys lost! I would say that this was a victory for our family!" He laughed jovially, and Ryohei cheered to the sky.

"That was extreme! I got to box so much today. It's an extreme record!"

Tsuna paled, gazing at the mess the trio had left in their wake. "A-Aren't we going to g-get in trouble for all this destruction of p-property?" Just thinking about this brought back his headache. Warning signals went off in his head as a sense of foreboding washed over the brunet.

Footsteps sounded from behind the group, and a soft voice spoke up. "Such useless men. Every last one of them failed Mukuro-sama's orders."

Everyone whirled around to see who had spoken. A boy in his teens stood stock-straight behind them, expression cold and blank. A white beanie covered a head of straight, dark hair. An unusual barcode design was on one cheek below his glasses. He had on a green uniform similar to those designed for middle schoolers. In his hand was a bright yo-yo that drew Tsuna's senses. The boy had mentioned Mukuro-sama, which immediately frightened the brunet; this person was affiliated with Mukuro Rokudo.

"Who are you?" Gokudera snarled.

The newcomer completely ignored him, adjusting his glasses instead. "I hate having to clean up after these messes." Suddenly, his stance changed as he tossed the yo-yo forward, straight at Tsuna.

Ryohei suddenly jumped in front of Tsuna, arms raised to block the incoming yo-yo. It collided with his forearms, but the boxer was surprised to find that the force of the toy was more powerful than he had expected. It felt more like a metal ball had hit him if the pain shooting through his arm was any indication.

"Onii-san!" Tsuna found himself yelping. "Are you alright?"

"Of course! It takes more than an extreme little toy to bring me down!" He set his eyes on their enemy, who looked unimpressed. "I'll fight you, one on one!" the boxer declared, fists raised.

"I'd rather not. Those were not my orders, after all." The guy shot his yo-yo forward again and Ryohei prepared to block. However, the yo-yo never reached him, but rather, several large needles shot out and impaled themselves into Ryohei's arms. The boxer yelped, recoiling.

Tsuna gasped, realizing who this was. Dino had the same idea and growled, "You're the one who ambushed our car."

When the teen said nothing, Dino took that as confirmation. A sharp crack echoed through the hall as he withdrew his whip, declaring, "I'll handle this. Tsuna, take your friends and go. I think you've all had enough excitement for today."

The brunet was ready to protest, but the mysterious teen had already made another move. However, before Dino could attack, a piercing gunshot ripped through the air, its bullet shattering the yo-yo into a myriad of pieces. For once, the enemy seemed off caught off guard, a surprised look on his face.

"I must agree with you there, Dino," said a squeaky voice overhead. All eyes flashed upwards to the baby hitman smirking, sitting on the beautiful Bianchi's shoulders. Gokudera groaned, doubling over in pain when he saw his sister's face. Reborn's smirk widened. Good, that took care of one problem for now.

The hitman hopped to the ground, followed closely by the female assassin, his gun still trained on the enemy. "Go back to Mukuro and tell him the Vongola won't sit around while he's having his fun. Expect a house call soon."

"That won't be necessary," the teen replied, backing away. "This is all going according to Mukuro-sama's plan, after all." With that, the boy disappeared just as abruptly as he had come. Finally, the tension seemed to dissipate. Fatigue set on every individual there. It was barely past noon and they were all ready to head back to bed.

Reborn walked over to Dino, frowning. "Dino, I warned you about using one of your stupid schemes. This." He gestured to the ruined room. "Is what happens."

The blonde scratched his head sheepishly, arguing, "Aw Reborn. At least it showed they were much stronger than either of us expected."

"Don't lump me in with you. I knew they were strong from the start," Reborn huffed indignantly. He turned to his current student. "Tsuna, you have a lot of catching up to do after my absence for a day. You did your homework, yes?"

"H-Homework?" Tsuna cringed, both from fright and pain. "N-No…I-ouch!" Reborn had smacked the brunet on the head. The action set off an earthquake in brunet's head, the pounding reaching unbearable levels.

"Stop stuttering. I'm gone for a day and you degenerate back into Dame-Tsuna?"

"Hey Reborn, go a little easy on him, will you? Tsuna's been tired since yesterday. He didn't look too well when I met him yesterday." Dino tried to reason with the hitman, despite the dangerous glare he received.

"That's no excuse, and you know very well that it isn't." When he turned back to Tsuna, however, something was off about his student. His eyes were clenched closed and his breathing was labored. The brunet's body was leaning against the wall, hands weakly clutching his head. Suddenly, the brunet slumped down.

"Woah, Tsuna!"

"Sawada, what's wrong?"

Even Gokudera opened his eyes, gasping his boss's title in his pained state. It was Dino who caught the brunet, however, before he hit the ground. The teen was out cold, but that was not what worried Reborn. A small dark mark was present at his neck, a very familiar mark to the hitman.

"Reborn, what's going on?" Dino asked, adjusting to brunet to a more comfortable position.

Leon transformed into a cellphone and Reborn quickly dialed a number. He did not answer Dino, waiting for the other end to answer. When it finally did, Reborn got straight to the point.

"Shamal? I believe you owe me a favor. I expect it returned now."

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><p><strong>Oh. Oops. I made another cliffhanger, didn't I? I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T ACTUALLY MEAN FOR IT…RHAKDG.<strong>

**Next chapter probably won't come for 2 or 3 weeks, since I'm busy doing some music recitals and such, as well as Anime Expo! I'll update as soon as I can though, especially since I decided to end this chapter like this. Hrnghh...**

**Here's a little fun fact. I have my email open whenever I'm on the computer. I looked at it just now, and I have 27 unread messages in my inbox and 18 unedited drafts. I think my email is trying to tell me something.**

**I have a really hard time writing the three boys fighting. I especially have a hard time writing Ryohei since his character is so boneheaded and clueless to the point that it's ridiculously unrealistic. When I try to tone it down, he seems generic and dull. I wasn't particularly happy with the way this chapter came out, to be honest. I'll work on these points in the future! **

**[1] In case you guys were wondering what exactly they are saying, here's how the conversation went:**

"**Why did you do that?" **

"**We were worried that he might attack you, so we incapacitated him."**

"**For goodness sakes, you guys didn't have to hit him so hard! You weren't even supposed to do that in the first place!"**

**[2] I keep referring to Mukuro as Rokudo because that's his last name. It makes sense for people who don't know him personally to call him by his last name, as that is Japanese culture. **

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><p><strong>That's all for now! Thanks for reading and please review! Have an awesome day guys! (I know I will. Time to go to bed LOL.)<strong>

**Cheers!**

**~The old Alexie**


	11. A Forgotten Friend

_**I will reply to reviews in private!**_

**College has really messed up my brain. All that goes through my mind nowadays is work, work, work and more work. Even when I'm "relaxing" I'm thinking about work. In fact, I'm thinking about work as I typed this. It really hurt to see new favorites and followers to this story for the past 5 months because I wanted to update, but every time I finally found "time" to work on this story, I had no motivation to. I forgot bits of my story after such long breaks and I have major issues updating because of it. When I do find time, lo and behold all I wanted to do was…**

**Work.**

**So if the words "work" or "computer science" or "omgwhatishappeningtome" and "whyamisomiserable" or "baconnomnom" show up anywhere in this story, well…sorry about it.**

**I'd appreciate a couple reviews though, to remind me there are still "fun" things to do in my life and that you people actually still enjoy my story (or not). Oyy. Thank you to anyone who is still reading this. I apologize for the massive breaks in between. I will make no more estimates as to when the next chapter is out. Hang tight folks. **

**I know this is about 5 months late, but thank you to those of you who wished me happy birthday. I really appreciated it, haha! **

**Last Chapter: When Gokudera and Yamamoto went to check on Tsuna the following morning, they found the house silent and empty. When the brunet did show up to school, the two teens left their classes to go find their friend. After Ryohei joined along, they set out to find the young boss, ultimately coming to the conclusion that the mysterious Dino Chiavarone[1] was the culprit. As it turns out, Dino was actually Reborn's past student and had simply wanted to get to know Tsuna better while testing his subordinates' faithfulness towards the brunet. Dino had sent his men to go "ambush" the teens and test if their abilities were worthy of those expected of the subordinates of the Vongola Decimo. However, the plan went awry when actual yakuza attacked the trio, leading the teens to go to the mafia hideout to find Tsuna. The three tore down the place and their opponents, only to discover that Tsuna had been safe with Dino the whole day. When they were about to leave, a strange man showed up to attack the group. Reborn finally showed himself and forced the man to retreat, but not before the stranger left a warning to Tsuna and his friends. However, Tsuna suddenly collapsed afterwards, alarming even Reborn when he something very worrisome indeed…**

**Warnings: Nothing to really warn about, again.**

**Disclaimer: What, I'm still doing these? Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Amano Akira, even though it ended. T_T **

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><p><em>Chapter 11: A Forgotten Friend<em>

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><p>Doctor Shamal had a very strict practice of only accepting young females for patients. There were only two rare occasions that could cause him to break protocol: if he owed a favor to someone he respected (like Reborn) or if he was faced with a medical phenomenon. Because the event of either of these things happening is so rare, Shamal can remember the two exact times in his entire life where he broke protocol. The first was when Reborn had come down with stomach flu, and all Shamal really had to do was give the hitman some medicine and never speak of the incident again. The second...well that was an absolute secret.<p>

However, it was unprecedented that Shamal would accept a patient because of both reasons.

He did not spare a glance at the other three teen boys in his presence, leaving Dino and Romario to treat Ryohei's bleeding arms and to give Yamamoto an ice pack to hold against his quickly swelling cheek. They tried to dress Gokudera's raw palms but the silverette refused their aid until he knew what was happening to his precious boss.

Shamal had been quite apathetic to the brunet despite the hardness in the tone of Reborn's voice. When the baby hitman pointed out what exactly concerned him, the doctor found himself actually interested, for the first time in a long time, in a patient's ailment rather than whether or not she will go out on a date with him.

"What do we have here?" he muttered, inspecting the odd lesion on Tsuna's neck. The brunet appeared as though he was simply asleep, rather than unconscious because he collapsed from some mysterious illness. Shamal was silent afterwards, checking every part of Tsuna by rolling up his sleeves or pulling up his shirt.

Reborn twitched his mouth. "Well?"

"How many times have you shot him?" The doctor glanced at Reborn while turning Tsuna over. "I've never seen it quite like this."

"Five." Grim confidence exuded from the infant. "Last shot was well over twenty four hours ago. It can't be Skullitis. That takes ten shots." He watched as Shamal pulled up Tsuna's shirt, inspecting his bare back.

The doctor internally flinched, noting the irritation in the baby hitman's voice. Reborn hated surprises, especially ones that become mysteries that he could not figure out.

"Skullitis?" Gokudera interrupted, eyebrows furrowed. "Is Juudaime sick?" He glared at Shamal, who ignored the vicious gaze.

"Somehow...yes." Shamal crossed his arms. "He has the symptoms of Skullitis. I'm assuming you don't know about it, Hayato, since you have that clueless scowl of yours plastered all over your face." The silverette's scowl deepened as Shamal sighed, muttering in irritation before launching into an explanation.

"Skullitis is a disease that a victim contracts without fail from ten shots of the Dying Will Bullet. Normally, the effects of the disease start within twenty four hours of the tenth shot, and within another twenty four, they're dead."

Everyone froze at the last statement, a coldness settling heavily. Yamamoto raised his eyebrows, laughing nervously. "Are you sure Tsuna is sick? What are the symptoms?"

"Usually, the first one is the appearance of dark, skull-shaped lesions on the skin. If you look carefully, there's one on this kid's neck. However, he only has one. I inspected him all over and I can't find another. None in the usual spots, anyways." Shamal brushed the spiky brown locks aside to show the teens the mark. Deformed and twisted as it was, it still had the semblance of a black skull.

He gazed at the brunet. "Following soon are chronic headaches, fatigue, loss of balance and slowed reflexes caused by gradual degradation of the nerves. Sometimes bodily functions that would be fine otherwise, like breathing or swallowing, could go wrong. Skullitis chews away at the nervous system, which is what makes it so deadly. Did the kid seem off in any of those ways?"

"Quit referring to him so disrespectfully, shitty doctor," Hayato growled, clenching his hands, but quickly releasing them when the pain hit. "Juudaime has seemed more tired...and disoriented though..." he admitted, looking down.

Shamal made a noise of discontent. "Another one of the symptoms that show up near death is a loose mouth. Skullitis seems to affect the chemicals in the brain, causing a person to become too emotional. It's rather odd, but the infected person starts spouting whatever comes to mind, from innermost secrets to mindless drivel. You know how a person starts recounting memories or regrets close to death? It degrades an individual to a babbling mess as the body shuts down at an accelerated pace."

"So...this is happening to Tsuna?" Dino asked, done patching up the teens.

"Yes...and no. See, under normal circumstances, these things all happen very quickly. This kid should be dead by now if it really was Skullitis. Besides, Reborn said he only shot the Dying Will Bullet into him five times. It should take twice as much to infect a person."

"So what is happening to Juudaime?" Gokudera demanded, emeralds ablaze. Shamal studied the bomber carefully before turning his attention back to Tsuna.

"The reason why Skullitis starts after the tenth bullet is because of the effects on the body they have. The chemical used in each bullet to enhance the physical limiters of the human body accumulates with each shot. Skullitis is not a disease of pathogens but of mutations, like cancer. With too much of the chemical, the body starts breaking down from overstrain. Essentially, it's a drug overdose. Usually, the tenth bullet will do the trick." Eyes narrowing, the doctor waved over Tsuna. "This kid is absolutely weak physically. His body mass is very low and he's little more than skin and bones, so the strain caused by the bullet must be especially harsh. What is strange is that the symptoms seem to be appearing very slowly, as opposed to all at once."

Reborn had been silent as he listened, but piped up at this point. "So Tsuna has long term Skullitis?"

"In essence...yes." Shamal sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Normally, I would prescribe a dose of Angel's Disease to treat Skullitis since diseases with opposite effects cancel each other out, but I have no idea about the dosage of the chemicals flowing in him. It might not necessarily be five bullets' worth, since there's a chance his body has been diluting it naturally. If I overdose on Angel's, I might kill him."

His words seemed to set the teens on edge. Gokudera was absolutely livid and even Yamamoto's discomfort slipped through his smile.

He walked over to one of his cabinets, removing a white container from the shelves. The others watched as the doctor quietly worked, surprised when a mosquito flew out of the container. Well, only Yamamoto and Ryohei were surprised, since Gokudera and Reborn already knew of Shamal's method of injection quite well. The doctor whispered a few words to the mosquito before pointing at the brunet. The insect buzzed over to the teen, injecting its trident-shaped mouth into him for a small moment before flying over to Reborn. The hitman stared questioningly at Shamal, demanding an explanation.

"I'm going to give him a small dose of Angel's each day that his symptoms persist. Once that mark starts fading, stop treatment. If they reappear, start treatment again. This has never happened before so I have no real clue as to how this treatment will work, but it should keep the disease at bay. My mosquito knows what to do. Just keep it safe until its work is done." Shamal sniffed in annoyance. "Although I would appreciate it if you all stopped killing my precious trident mosquitos. It's a pain to maintain them. In the meantime, Reborn." The hitman baby and doctor locked eyes. "Train that kid. He's not going to survive anything else with his current condition. It's amazing he's still alive, frankly. Make sure that the next time you use that shot on him, his body can take the shock."

The Arcobaleno huffed in mild irritation, getting to his feet. He was not used to his targets being so...weak-bodied, so was slightly embarrassed to be told that his current student could not handle his best training tools. Not that he will admit to that, however. "Very well. I'll start him on a new regiment as soon as he wakes up."

Shamal nodded at Reborn, who lifted his fedora to hide the mosquito within it. Leon followed the insect with preying eyes, but Reborn tapped his partner, alerting him that their newest addition was not food. Leon curled up within the fedora's brim, eyes still flicking occasionally towards the center where his potential dinner was. Reborn addressed his partner. "You don't want to eat that. You'll get sick." Reborn smirked at the withering glare from Shamal.

Unfortunately for Tsuna, his mind chose that moment to return to consciousness. A small groan escaped his mouth and suddenly, everyone had their eyes on him.

"Juudaime! Thank god you're awake!" Gokudera cried, leaning eagerly towards his boss. "How are you feeling?"

Yamamoto was laughing despite the ice pack on his face as Ryohei shouted, "Sawada is extremely awake!"

Tsuna ran a hand down his face, trying to regain his bearings. "N-not bad, I guess..." Not bad? He blinked, realizing his headache had dulled. It was still there, but it was not bashing his head like before. "What happened?" He turned to his friends, caramels narrowed in confusion. "Where am I?"

"You collapsed to the extreme, Sawada!" Ryohei explained, "So we took you to see the funny doctor!" Shamal sniffed in offense to that statement, mumbling something irritably under his breath. THIS was why he only dealt with females.

The brunet was trying very hard to remember what exactly transpired before his apparent collapse. Gazing around the room helped jog his memory as Tsuna noticed everyone's injuries. The sharp memory of needles impaling the older Sasagawa's arms sent a shock through the brunet.

"Onii-san! Your arms! Are they ok?" he gasped, eying the bandages with wide eyes.

Ryohei was a born fighter. No matter the obstacle or injury, he would insist on continuing with his efforts and energy at one hundred percent. So even though his arms were throbbing in pain and his fingers were not clenching properly, he responded in full spirit. "Of course, to the extreme!"

The weakened motions of the arms were not missed by the brunet though. His concern must have shown, for Gokudera growled, "Tch. Stupid Turf Top, making Juudaime worry like this."

That immediately drew Tsuna's attention to his other two companions. "Yamamoto, your cheek! Gokudera-kun, are you hurt?"

The silverette held his hands to reassure his boss that he was fine, forgetting that his injuries, raw and bleeding, were in full view. Gasping, Tsuna gently grasped the bomber's wrists. "Gokudera-kun! Your hands...what happened? Why didn't bandage them?"

Smiling sheepishly, with a hint of pride, the silverette responded, "I wanted to make sure Juudaime was alright first. My hands could wait."

His answer distressed the brunet. "You should take care of yourself first, Gokudera-kun! Don't…hold me in such regard-"

"Of course I would, Juudaime!" Gokudera suddenly interrupted. "I would fail as your right hand man if I didn't!" He placed his hands on the bed forcefully to bow, but the raw wounds on his hand did not take kindly to the action. The silverette yelped and jerked his hands away from the sheets, which had spots of red.

Shamal sighed and turned to the blonde Mafioso. "Can you please do something about this idiot?" The doctor yawned and started heading towards the door, waving to the occupants. "I'm not needed anymore, so I'm going. Don't forget what I said Reborn. Don't expect these kinds of favors that often anymore."

Reborn said nothing as Shamal left and he turned to Tsuna instead. "Let's go. We have a lot of training to do."

Blinking, the brunet asked, "Training? What do you mean by th-"

"As it sounds. You need to have the physical skills becoming of a mafia boss."

"Wh-what? Where did they come from all of a sudden?"

"I just feel like it." Reborn smirked, a twinkle in his eye. "Now hurry up. You've been in bed too much lately." Leon crawled on the hitman's hands, transforming into his signature gun. Tsuna squeaked, scrambling out of bed. He managed to stand without collapsing into a dizzy spell.

A bullet shot past his ear, shocking the brunet. He yelped, turning to see Reborn with his gun poised. "Now, sprint home."

"S-Sprint?"

Another gunshot fired, catching a few strands of Tsuna's spiky hair. He screamed as Reborn twisted his lips. "What did I say about stuttering? Now go." He held up the gun threateningly, sending the brunet into a fast run out the door despite his fatigue.

"OHHHH. LET ME JOIN IN, SAWADA!" Ryohei shouted, shooting out the door after the brunet. Reborn hopped onto the boxer's shoulders, hitching a reliable ride after his student. Yamamoto started to laugh, sitting back with his ice pack.

Gokudera watched them leave with envious eyes, shouting, "Wait for me, Juudaime!"

"Stop fidgeting, Gokudera," Dino chided. "I can't properly treat your hands like this." He gripped Gokudera's hands tighter, causing the silverette to glare at the blonde. Dino returned a sharp gaze at the teen, surprisingly him.

Gokudera's surprise only lasted a moment before he snapped, "What?"

Dino finished one hand and began on the other. "Slow down, Gokudera. And I don't just mean right now. I mean in every decision you make. From what I've heard, you've been distancing yourself from even your immediate family for years now. You showed loyalty to no one, and out of the blue, you've become fiercely devoted to Tsuna." When it seemed like the silverette was going to say something, Dino quickly cut in. "I'm not saying that you don't have your reasons, and that they aren't sincere ones. It's a great thing, to have someone strong watching over my little bro. But." Dino's umber eyes pierced straight through the teen's emeralds. "You need to be more cautious with your actions. Taking care of Tsuna doesn't mean sacrificing yourself. Far from it. Do you understand?"

"Tch." Gokudera snapped, "Don't need to tell me that."

The Chiavarone boss watched him carefully, before sighing, tying off the last bandage. "Take care of your hands. Don't overdo it."

Hayato got up without another word, breaking off into a run at the door. Sighing again, Dino turned to Yamamoto, who began to laugh. "Haha, I think I'll just go home and rest. Looks like I was left behind."

Chuckling, Dino got up, Romario moving to stand behind his boss. "Good idea. You're going to really need it."

By the time Tsuna got home, it was already dinnertime and he was exhausted and breathless. His headache seemed to have returned, although nowhere near as painful as before. If not for Reborn complaining that he was filthy, the brunet would have collapsed straight onto his bed to sleep, but he forced himself to shower. Since the moment when Reborn fired a bullet at the brunet, the teen had felt uncomfortable around the hitman, wanting to place distance between them.

As soon as he stepped out from the shower and got his boxers on, he heard footsteps thunder up the stairs and Tsuna barely had time to move aside before three kids tumbled into the bathroom.

"Good evening, Tsuna-nii!" Futa greeted the older brunet, turning on the faucet to wash his hands. Looks like Nana told the kids to prepare for dinner.

"Gyahahaha, Tsuna! You're still not wearing pants!" Lambo laughed, pointing at Tsuna's boxers.

Huffing, the brunet responded, "I just came out of the shower when you three burst in. I didn't have time to put on clothes." He noticed that Lambo was not listening and sighed. Futa had moved aside to letting the younger ones wash their hands. Because of their height, Lambo and I-Pin were having difficulty reaching the water stream, especially since they were fighting for it.

"The great Lambo-san should be able to wash his hands first!"

"I-Pin first, already washing, Lambo stole from me!"

"No I didn't, Egg-head!"

"Lambo Broccoli-Monster!"

"I'm not a broccoli monster!"

"Guys!" Tsuna finally interrupted, turning off the water on both kids. The washroom counter was splattered with soap and water, and some got on the childrens' clothes. Both kids looked up at him as he continued, "You'll both get to wash your hands! Lambo, let I-Pin go first if she was already washing her hands before you." He eyed the wet counter and sighed. Slowly, he picked I-Pin up, placing her hands closer to the faucet. "Hurry, so we can have dinner."

I-Pin beamed. "Thank you_, __gēge._"[2] She quickly washed her hands before Tsuna put her down.

Quizzically, he asked, "What did you just say?"

The little Chinese girl blinked, before chirping, "G_ēge _is Chinese 'older brother'."

"O-Oh. I see. Glad to help," Tsuna replied, surprised by her words. Somehow, he felt that it was a more endearing term than it seemed on the surface. It was odd thinking that just a few days ago this little girl had a target on his head.

"Tsuuunaaa, me too!" Lambo's whining broke into his thoughts, and the brunet sighed, picking up the little cow child.

Lambo squealed, washing his hands and splashing more water onto the counter. Tsuna sighed. "Lambo, please don't get so much water on the counter!" He set the child down and watched as he ran out the door and back down the stairs, laughing the entire way. I-Pin and Futa chased after him, leaving Tsuna in the bathroom.

The brunet sighed again, running a towel through his wet hair again. Taking a quick glance at the mirror, the teen appraised his appearance. The black eye was fading away, with only remnants of the bruise under his eye and any cuts had scabbed or had already developed new skin. His headache had dulled to a light throb. Just as he was about to turn around, he spotted a dark spot on his neck. Frowning, he leaned in to take a closer look, running a finger over the mark. There was a slight bump where the mark was, which caused him further concern. It did not hurt, so he dismissed it as something weird of Reborn's for the time being. He quickly tossed on an old T-shirt and sweatpants and absentmindedly went downstairs.

When he reached the bottom, a small voice broke into his thoughts. "Hm, you didn't fall a single time. Good job, Tsuna." Startled, the brunet looked down to see Reborn walking past him to the kitchen. His heart raced for a few moments before he calmed down. The young brunet looked back up the stairs, blinking in surprise. Without even thinking about, he managed to go down the stairs without a single mishap. He did not dwell long, as a delicious aroma drifted into his nose. He followed the scent to the kitchen, where his mother had already set out a full course dinner. The kids were already seated at the table, eagerly digging in.

Smiling, Nana asked, "How was your day, Tsu-kun?"

Her son ran a hand through his head, considering the question for once. The list of lies he compiled suddenly disappeared from his head, and to his surprise, he found himself replying, "Not too bad, I guess." He scratched his cheek.

Nana's eye lit up, sensing a different response from her son. There was no obviously concealed lie or hidden sadness in his eyes. "Oh, that's good to hear!" She gestured to all the food. "Well dinner is ready, so help yourself!"

Dinner passed by relatively peacefully, if Lambo screaming halfway through about not getting enough rice and Reborn stealing food from Tsuna's plate every chance he got was peaceful. Luckily, Bianchi did not cook tonight, so that spared everyone more troubles to worry about. Tsuna could have sworn that she tried to slip something into his drink and he guarded it fiercely afterwards. After he left the table, Tsuna went to the storage closet to look for something. When he found it, he dragged it out, dusting off the item before bringing it upstairs. He set it down in the bathroom, in front of the sink before heading back downstairs.

He found the kids dozing off in the living room while Futa sat around reading his book. Tsuna quietly walked over, catching Futa's attention. The little boy put down his book for a moment, smiling in greeting. "Hi Tsuna-nii!"

"Hey Futa." Tsuna returned a small smile. He scratched his head. "I put a small stool inside the bathroom for Lambo and I-Pin to use when they're using the sink. Make sure they take turns, ok?"

Grinning, the little boy nodded. Tsuna smiled again, waving to the boy. "Good night then."

"Good night, Tsuna-nii!"

The brunet trudged back up the stairs, exhausted from his long day. Reborn had egged Ryohei into running around the whole town instead of straight home, and the unfortunate brunet was dragged along. When he tried to stop, Reborn actually _shot _another bullet at the brunet, missing him by a hairsbreadth. From then on, pure fear kept him going. Somehow, the baby hitman had completely changed the tune he was singing. Up until now, his abusive training had only been for his studies, and they were usually not deadly. But this afternoon, there was something far more dangerous in Reborn's threats and actions, and Tsuna found himself actually fearing the hitman more.

Reborn was already in his pink pajamas and lounging on his hammock when Tsuna came into the room. He warily glanced at the hitman as he made his way over to his bed.

The hitman tutor followed his student's movements with a blank expression. The teen felt the stare, but was too afraid to turn around. An uncomfortable silence persisted until Tsuna built up the nerve to talk. "U-Uh Reborn?"

"Don't stutter." Tsuna jumped at his sudden words, turning around to the hitman, who was still blankly staring. "And don't jump like that. It's cowardly."

Another bout of silence followed before Tsuna finally spoke again, taking a deep breath as to not stutter. "I saw a strange black mark on my neck earlier, a-and I was wondering if you knew what it was." The brunet sucked in a breath, worried the hitman would comment on his single stutter. He, however, did not. Instead, the baby looked away, snuggling down into his covers.

"Who knows?" was all he said before the soft sounds of snoring resounded from him. The teen blinked, sighing in exasperation. He felt the mark on his neck once more before flopping onto his bed.

"I'm exhausted," he mumbled to himself, closing his eyes. "Just what…" He yawned. "…happened today…?" He drifted off to sleep as the last words came out, overcome by his fatigue.

In the morning, Tsuna suddenly awoke to a slight pain in his neck. He shot up, hand flapping to his neck. Nothing was there and he felt his neck in a daze. The bump from yesterday seemed like it was gone, which woke the brunet right up. Ignoring the gaze of hitman baby, he stumbled to the bathroom to look into the mirror. Through blurry eyes, he saw that the mark was still there, but had shrunk and changed shape. "What…?" he breathed.

Reborn walked into the bathroom, catching Tsuna's attention again. "Hurry and get dressed. You have to go back to school today. Dino made you miss a day, so we have triple the amount of homework to catch up on tonight."

The brunet sighed, and with one last look at the neck, he reluctantly began to prepare for the day. His mother had breakfast ready by the time he went down, an occurrence that was slowly becoming a commodity. The kids were awake and eating as well, talking amongst themselves. Grabbing his bento and bag, the brunet left the house for the intersection where Yamamoto and Gokudera usually waited for him. He tried to not be intimidated by Reborn's presence. Honestly, he was not scared of the hitman this much before. But after yesterday's sudden training session, Tsuna noticed something definitely different in the hitman's actions.

Tsuna shivered, only broken out of his thoughts by loud shouting up ahead. He looked up, sighing when he saw the source of noise.

"Stupid woman, get out of here! You have no business being here!"

"Hahi? How rude! I have every right to be here, you jerk!"

Gokudera and Haru were already at it early in the morning, glaring each other down. Yamamoto was off to the side, laughing. His cheek was slightly swollen and bruised, but did not seem terribly injured. The Sasagawa siblings were there too. Ryohei was jogging impatiently in place while Kyoko stood uneasily by, watching the fight before her. The boxer was wearing a jacket, probably to hide his injured arms from his fretful sister.

The baseball star was the first to notice the brunet, and he called out with a jolly wave. "Yo Tsuna! Morning!"

Everyone turned to see the approaching brunet. All of these faces lit up, sending a warm rush through the brunet. He smiled and waved, walking slowly over to his friends. Gokudera made his way over to his boss, exclaiming, "Good morning, Juudaime!"

"EXTREMELY GOOD MORNING TO YOU SAWADA!"

"Good morning, Tsuna-kun!"

"Tsuna-san, very good morning to you!" Haru chirped, stepping forward eagerly. "Good morning to you too, Reborn-chan!" She held up a neatly wrapped bento. "This is for you, Tsuna-san! I missed you yesterday, so I wasn't able to give you a bento."

"H-Huh, really? Thank you, Haru. That's…really nice of you." Tsuna took the bento, somewhat uneasily. He glanced off to the corner of his eye, noting the expression of displeasure on Gokudera's face. He caught a glimpse of Kyoko's face, noting that she had a smile. There was something off about it, but he did not have a chance to analyze it.

"Noisy woman. You don't need to make Juudaime lunch. His honored mother does that every morning." Hayato hissed, crossing his arms.

Taking offense, Haru drew herself up. "Doesn't mean I can't make a wonderful lunch for my love too!"

Tsuna watched the two as they bickered more, squeaking every time their voices escalated. He felt a light pressure on his head as Reborn jumped on top. "Tsuna, what are you waiting for? Your family shouldn't be fighting amongst themselves. It's up to the boss to break it up."

"I'm not the boss! And they're just my friends!" Tsuna quietly replied. Still, he had to stop them; he did not want friends to be arguing over him. He went over to the two, trying to catch their attention. "Hey guys?"

Both Hayato and Haru stopped, turning their full attention to the brunet. He withered slightly under their intense stares, but continued. "U-Uh, Haru, thank you for your lunches. It's nice of you, but you don't have to do it every morning. I usually have a lunch with me." When the girl seemed to deflate, he quickly added, "Th-They're really good. It's just…I can't eat two lunches. T-That's all."

Tsuna breathed a small sigh of relief when Haru seemed to perk back up, blushing slightly at the bright smile she flashed him. "I understand Tsuna-san. If you ever need a lunch though, I will definitely make one for you!" After a moment, she held her hand out. Confused, Tsuna stared at it until she chirped, "Can I see your phone for a moment please?"

"My phone?" he asked, pulling it out with furrowed eyebrows and handing it to the girl. The girl took it and quickly entered a few numbers. After a moment, a ringtone started to sound, and she pulled out her phone. She silenced it and handed Tsuna's back to him, beaming.

"Now you have my number! Call me anytime you need anything, alright? Or if the kids need something, or want to go out somewhere!"

"What?" Tsuna gaped, staring at his screen. It was his recent calls list and an unfamiliar number was at the top, no doubt Haru's. This also meant she had his. "Haru, that's not really necessary! I can't ask you to do things for me!" The brunet looked up at the grinning girl.

Haru shook her head. "No, Tsuna-san, it would be my pleasure. You saved my life, so I at least owe you this much!" A sudden thought occurred to her, and she checked her watch, squeaking. "Hahi! I'm going to be late!" With a quick bow, she cried out, "I'll see everyone tomorrow! It was a pleasure seeing everyone this morning!"

Before she could run off, however, Reborn forcefully jumped off Tsuna's head, knocking him backwards. "Haru, just a moment."

"Hahi?" The girl turned around. "What's wrong, Reborn-chan?"

"I'm training Tsuna afterschool at Namimori Park and I could use your help. Don't worry about what kind of training it is. You will see when you come. Will you?"

Cocking her head to the side, she blinked, but then nodded and smiled. "Of course! I will be there! See you later then, Tsuna-san!" With that, she was gone down the street.

Gokudera rolled his eyes, kicking at the dirt. "Stupid woman."

The brunet immediately began to protest. "Reborn! Why did you do that? Stop dragging my friends into everything!"

"Dragging her into what? I was just asking her to assist in your training." Reborn smirked, hopping up onto Yamamoto's shoulder instead. "She was the reason that you escaped that yakuza's punch the other day."

Tsuna blinked, stopping short. "What do you mean?"

"Who knows?" Reborn smiled innocently. Tsuna was about to question him again, but Yamamoto interrupted with a laugh.

"Haha, this is really fun, guys, but we better hurry. Class is starting soon." Yamamoto started off into a light jog after he spoke.

Ryohei did not waste a second and was already a block ahead of everyone. Kyoko ran after her brother in exasperation and Tsuna was quite surprised that she was actually keeping up quite well. Everyone managed to reach school with a couple of minutes to spare.

A certain darkly-clad prefect was lying in wait at the gate. Tsuna felt a definite chill burst down his back as he ran past Hibari and felt the dark eyes boring into his back. Once they were out of his sight, Tsuna released a breath he was not aware that he had been holding.

Laughing, Yamamoto commented, "Wow, it's like you could feel Hibari staring at us, haha!"

"My thoughts exactly. What a creepy guy." Hayato shoved his hands into his pockets.

The brunet could only shiver and continue onto his classroom. When he opened the door, he was met with another glare from his teacher. He squeaked, shrinking into himself. Of course his teacher would be pissed that he missed class, and subsequently, made Yamamoto and Gokudera miss class as well.

"What are you three doing there? Go and take your seats. Yamamoto, Gokudera, I will speak to you after class." With that, the teens walked to their desks and sat down, sitting uneasily through their lesson. Tsuna fidgeted the entire time, nervous about getting his friends into trouble. When the bell rang, they all approached the teacher's desk, silently waiting as the students all filed out of the classroom. Tsuna caught Kyoko's eye as she left and she smiled encouragingly at him.

The teacher sighed and sat down when the last student left. He eyed Tsuna for a moment before speaking. "Leaving school without notice is strictly forbidden. Yamamoto, Gokudera, you should receive punishment for what you did. However, your absences seemed to have been excused." The teens seemed surprised and a moment of suspicion crossed the teacher's eyes before he turned to Yamamoto. "You could have just mentioned that you had a doctor's appointment instead of running out like that. I hope your arm is better now."

The baseball star only blinked in surprise before laughing. "Right, haha! Sorry, sorry!"

With a sigh, the teacher turned to Gokudera, a slightly sad expression crossing his face. "My condolences for your loss Gokudera."

Gokudera's eyes widened before he looked away, trying hard not to reveal his confusion and irritation. Whoever had excused them told some funny lies. All he could grind out was a soft "tch".

"However, please do not pull that sort of stunt again. It will not be tolerated a second time. Some form of notification for excusals is needed." The teacher stood up. "Good day to you, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Sawada." He left the room, leaving the teens in their surprise.

"Haha, what was that? Someone excused us? Takeshi laughed, prompting the bomber to shush him.

"Shh, you're too loud, you baseball freak!" The silverette hissed.

Tsuna pondered for a moment. "I think…Dino-san did that. He mentioned that he excused us all yesterday, but did not explain how."

The bomber seemed irked by this, probably because Dino told the teacher that someone close to him had died. The baseball star laughed however. "Haha, how nice of him! We should thank him later, eh?"

The brunet nodded, sighing in relief. "I'm just glad I didn't get you guys in trouble!"

"Don't worry, Juudaime! It's not a problem!" Gokudera exclaimed, catching his boss off guard. "Anything for you!"

"Gokudera-kun…" Tsuna frowned. "That's going too far…I almost got you guys suspended, or worse!"

"I don't care. So long as Juudaime is safe!"

Sighing in exasperation, the young brunet gave up anymore attempts to convince the silverette otherwise. Yamamoto broke the tense atmosphere with another loud laugh, swinging his arms around the shoulders of his friends. "Maa maa, guys! Let's head off to our next class!"

The rest of the day passed normally, with Tsuna's usual fails and mishaps, only explosive anger, courtesy of a certain bomber, was directed at those who dared to laugh at the brunet. At a while, everyone got the message not to mess with Tsuna.

Tsuna sleepily pulled his head from the table when the last bell of the day sounded. All thoughts about his impending afternoon training session has escaped his mind during his blissful nap and only came back when Gokudera beamed down at his sleepy boss. "Ready for your training, Juudaime?"

"Hiiieeee? But I don't want t-"

Something knocked the brunet from his desk, and luckily for him, Hayato caught the teen before he could hit something. Reborn toddled onto his student's desk, smiling innocently. "Come on Tsuna. Time for training."

So with that, the trio met up with the Sasagawas and started over to the park. Tsuna dragged his feet, absolutely loathing what was to come. Haru greeted them enthusiastically in a full hot pink gym outfit, reminding Tsuna very much of her obsession with costumes. The brunet wondered what unreasonable training regimen Reborn had cooked up. Unreasonable it was indeed.

"Alright, let's start. Tsuna, get down and do one hundred pushups."

"One hundred?!"

"Ryohei will help you with that."

With that prompt, the older Sasagawa roared and pumped his fists. "HUNRED EXTREME PUSHUPS. LET'S DO THIS!" He left into the air and gracefully fell straight down into a pushup position. There was a moment where his weak arm seemed to waver, but he recovered like nothing happened. The boxer looked up eagerly at Tsuna. "Come on, Sawada! Let's start!"

Reluctantly, the young brunet got down into a pushup position. "Can we do them slowly please?" He asked quietly.

Ryohei seemed to ponder the idea for a moment before nodding vigorously. "That's fine! Let's start! One!"

Tsuna slowly lowered himself down and up, letting his hips sag down. Ryohei stopped right after, staring at the brunet.

"Sawada, you're doing them extremely wrong."

"Hiie?"

The boxer inspected the brunet's position for a moment. "Put your hands wider apart! Keep your back straight, especially when you go down! Use your arms and stomach to lower yourself. That's the extremely right way to do it!"

Tsuna shifted himself into the new position. "Like this?"

"Straighter back!"

He did as the boxer said and Ryohei nodded in approval. "Two!"

Tsuna lowered himself down, trying really hard to keep his back straight. His shoulders refused to lower much more, which Ryohei was quick to point out. It took another ten tries before Tsuna managed to do a somewhat correct pushup, but he was already exhausted. The older Sasagawa was unrelenting, and forced the brunet to do all one hundred. It took about ten minutes to actually get through them, and all in all, the young brunet only managed to do about twenty real pushups.

It was clear from Ryohei's face that he was not satisfied, but he patted the exhausted and panting Tsuna on the back with an encouraging grin. "Good effort Sawada! That's what counts!" There was slight disappointment in the boxer's eyes that did not escape the brunet's notice. He bit his lips and nodded, trying hard to catch his breath. [3]

Haru bent down next to Tsuna, smiling brightly. "You were great Tsuna-san! I was very impressed!"

"Good work Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko handed the brunet a water bottle with a soft smile. Haru's smile tightened when she saw Kyoko's gesture and it seemed some of the auburnette's smile trickled from her eyes.

Oblivious, Tsuna took the bottle gratefully and tried to calm his breathing. Before he could, however, Reborn hopped in front of the brunet, smiling again.

"Time for one hundred crunches!"

And so that went on for a good hour. Tsuna collapsed by the end of it all, panting tremendously and trying to calm the return of his massive headache. He could not hear the voices of concern from his friends, only focused on making the world stop spinning.

"Hey kid, I think you worked him too hard, to the extreme!" Ryohei furrowed his eyebrows, somewhat concerned for the panting brunet.

Yamamoto stood by laughing with a smile. "Tsuna's just feeling under weather right, haha? He'll be better soon enough!"

"That's right! Juudaime is trying hard, and that's what counts!" Gokudera huffed. He would not admit that he was somewhat disappointed by the brunet's lack of energy and strength, but he was already well aware of the young teen's short-comings. But he meant what he said: he truly believed that Tsuna will improve over time. Physical abilities were irrelevant. "Besides, that's what he's got us for!"

Reborn glanced briefly at Gokudera before looking back at his student. "But not good enough. You've got a long way to go, Tsuna."

That last comment was heard by the brunet and he gritted his teeth. Slowly, he sat up, frowning at the baby. "Why do I have to do this absurd training? It's ridiculous!"

"It's not absurd, nor is it ridiculous. I've wasted too much time, so I'm simply making up for lost time. Try and keep up. I've already told you Tsuna." Reborn crossed his arms. "You need the physical abilities needed to become a mafia boss.

Too tired to protest, Tsuna simply laid back down onto the ground and continued to take deep breaths. Reborn had other ideas.

"This is a great segue into our next lesson." He hopped up onto Haru's shoulder and whispered something into her ear.

The girl lit up and nodded excitedly. "I can do that!" She went over to Tsuna, hovering over him with a smile. "Tsuna-san! Reborn asked me to teach you how to take a proper fall, like judoka do! Can you please sit up for a moment and watch me?"

Resisting the urge to groan, Tsuna pulled his tired torso up from the ground and trained his tired eyes on the beaming girl before him. Haru walked a short distance away to give herself some room. She faced Tsuna and smiled. "Once I'm through with you, you will be able to take falls like this!"

She took a short breath before leaping high into the air, letting herself fall, back first, onto the ground. Tsuna shouted out in alarm, but before he could make another move, Haru slammed into the ground with a tremendous shout and clap. Within the next half second, she sat up, perfectly unruffled and grinning. The male brunet blinked in surprise as he stared at the girl before him.

"Th-That was incredible," he managed to say while gaping, causing Haru to blush fiercely.

"I-It's nothing. I've just been doing it for a while."

"Taking falls like this?!"

"No, judo!"

Haru stood back up, walking over to Tsuna. "In any case, let's start! Get down onto your back and keep your legs straight, Tsuna-san!"

Blinking, the brunet lowered himself back onto the ground. Haru got down next to him, giving herself space from him. "There are two key components to taking a fall. You first need to slap the ground really hard to absorb the impact into your hands, rather than the rest of your body. Better to have stinging palms than a broken back, yes?" She giggled. "And to slap properly, you need to slap forty-five degrees from your body. Slap fast and slap hard. Like this!" Haru demonstrated her instructions by doing as she said, slapping the ground with a loud clap before retracting her arms almost immediately back to her chest. Again, Tsuna heard her shout when she did so, but Haru soon explained that.

"The second thing you need is a kiai.[4] A battle cry! It helps the air escape from your body when you hit the ground so that you don't get the breath knocked out of you! If you get it knocked out, then you will be defenseless, so give a cry as loud as you can! Tsuna-san, let me hear your kiai!"

When Tsuna just stared blankly at the girl, Haru gave a slight huff, before suddenly shouting, "HAHI!" This time, however, the "hahi" was not her usual squeak of surprise, but a harsher, deeper, more powerful cry. "You need to cry out just like that, Tsuna-san! Something that shows that you are more powerful than you seem to be!"

After a moment of thought, the male brunet took a deep breath. "Hiiie!"

Haru held back a giggle and smiled. "Louder!"

Huffing, Tsuna took another breath, shouting slightly louder this time. Haru prompted him to be louder once again and Tsuna obliged. Thoughtfully, Haru placed a finger on her chin. "I guess it will do for now. It will come to you as you try it. Now back onto your back!"

From then on, Tsuna practiced, trying to improve based on Haru's remarks. Another hour passed by, and by the end of it he managed to fall from a sitting position and slap without letting the air get knocked out of him.

"Alright, let's take a break!" Haru chirped, offering hand to her crush. The teen accepted it gladly, allowing her to pull him back up. His palm were buzzing, no longer registering pain.

His friends surrounded him, giving him encouragement. Tsuna just hoped that the training was over for today and that he could go home. He knew that Reborn had homework planned at home, but his headache had come back once again.

Gokudera had been glancing out the corner of his eye for a while now, having noticed something suspicious. Now that Tsuna finally had a break, he approached his boss. "Juudaime, we're being watched."

Startled, the young boss looked up at the silverette, alarm in his eyes. "W-What?"

"There's a suspicious girl looking at us from the swings."

Blinking, Tsuna turned around slowly to see who was watching them. A petite girl sat on one of the swings with a striped cat on her lap. If not for the middle school uniform she was wearing, one would not have known that she was a teenager. Dark purple hair hung limply over her face, partially hiding matching purple eyes. Her face became startled when everyone turned to look over at her. She abruptly got to her feet and stumbled back, clutching the cat to herself.

A loud gasp escaped the brunet, surprising his company. He slowly walked forward, his eyes wide and unbelieving. Hayato, who had been glaring a moment ago was now looking on in confusion.

"Juudaime?"

Tsuna only kept going forward as the girl took small steps back. When it looked like she was going to bolt, the brunet shouted out. "W-wait!"

The girl immediately froze, staring intently at the brunet. Tsuna felt his face flushing and he quickened his pace. Once he was close enough, he was absolutely sure of who this girl was.

"N-Nagi? Is that you?"

The girl jolted at the name and started shaking. Tsunayoshi continued to get closer until he was right in front of her. He fidgeted with his shirt as he returned the intense stare. "Y-You are Nagi, aren't you?"

The girl nodded slowly, tears leaking from her eyes. Alarmed, Tsuna reached out to her, only for Nagi to run into him, hugging him tightly. Silent sobs racked her figure, alarming the brunet further.

"N-Nagi! What's wrong?" When the girl said nothing, he uneasily said, "C-Come on, Na-chan…it's ok…" A wave of nostalgia rushed over Tsuna when he used the forgotten nickname and he hugged the girl back gently. He heard footsteps running over to them and was immediately bombarded with questions.

"Who is she, Sawada?"

"Haha Tsuna, your girlfriend?"

"What absurdity! This is not Juudaime's woman!"

Tsuna looked uneasily between his friends, noting the surprise on Haru and Kyoko's faces. Still, he was not willing to let go of Nagi at the moment, even if Kyoko may have been getting the wrong idea. Not while she was crying so painfully. "She's an old friend from back when I was really young. Her name is Nagi. W-we lost contact so many years ago…I c-can't believe she's here…what was she doing here?" He looked down at the petite girl, whose cries had lessened considerably.

Reborn, who had been watching, suddenly piped up. "How interesting. Tsuna, invite her over for dinner. You're not just going to leave her out here right?"

For once, the brunet had to agree. He nodded, trying to pry Nagi from him. "Do you want to come over for dinner? Mom is going to cook tonight, and I know how much you and your brother loved her cooking..."

At the last part, Nagi's tears ceased and she only began to shake. Concerned, Tsuna held her hand securely in his own, tugging her gently. "Come on, Na-chan…let's get out of the cold." He turned to his other friends and said, "Y-You're all invited to dinner too, of course." After a little coaxing, the petite girl nodded, her tears and shaking slowing disappearin. She allowed her old friend to lead her by the hand back to his house. The other teens followed silently, not sure what to make of the situation.

At the Sawada household, Tsuna poked his head into the kitchen, seeing that his mother had already started on dinner. As if knowing her son was there, Nana turned around, beaming, "Hello Tsu-kun!"

"Hey Mom…umm…" The brunet awkwardly scratched his head with his free hand. "Do you mind if like…s-six of my friends come over for dinner?"

Evident surprise painted the mother's face, but she grinned nonetheless. "Tsu-kun! You brought home six friends for me to meet?" She gushed. "Wow! Of course, of course! I have more than enough ingredients to cook a grand feast! Who are your new friends?"

Gently, Tsuna tugged Nagi over to the door and he heard his mother gasp. "I ran into an old friend today. You remember Nagi, right?"

Nana quickly turned off the stove and skipped over the purple-haired girl. She gathered her up in a big hug, eliciting a surprised squeak from the girl. "Oh, Nagi-chan! It's so good to see you again! How are you? Oh, look how you've grown in the years I haven't seen you! My…" She pulled away to get a good look at the girl. She tucked a strand of purple hair behind Nagi's ear, smiling. "You've grown to be beautiful, honey."

Nagi blushed fiercely at the compliment, quietly murmuring, "T-Thank you."

At this point, the other teens piled into the doorway. Only Haru was an unfamiliar face, so she politely introduced herself.

With a smile, Nana went back to the kitchen. She opened the fridge, pulling out a frosted cake. "I made some strawberry cake this afternoon. Would you all like some?"

Excited agreement rang throughout the group, particularly from Kyoko and Haru. "I love strawberry cake!" Haru exclaimed.

"Me too! It's one of my favorites!" Kyoko chirped. Both girls paused momentarily, looking at each other. After a moment, Kyoko finally asked, "What other cakes do you like, Miura-san?"

"O-Oh. Well…" Not actually expecting the girl to ask her a question, Haru gave a moment to think about it. Finally she smiled and said, "I rather like tiramisu…"

"Oh, me too! I just tried it recently, and it was amazing. Have you been to Parfait yet?"

"Have I? I always go there!" Haru excitedly responded. The underlying tension between the girls seemed to have dissolved at that point and they began to chat happily between themselves. That relieved Tsuna greatly. He had…felt some kind of unease between them, but was glad that it was gone for the time being.

"But wait!" Kyoko frowned. "If we have cake now we may ruin our appetite…"

"Hahi…you're right. Ahhh, maybe we should save it for later."

Nana giggled, putting the cake back. "Oh, silly me. You're right girls! Let me finish cooking dinner really fast!"

"Let us help you!" Kyoko offered.

Haru agreed. "I completely agree! It's the least we can do!"

With that, the girls quickly helped Tsuna's mother with dinner while the boys congregated in the living room. Everyone was only silently staring at each other. Nagi was sitting very still, playing with the cat in her lap. After a while, the girls came back, saying that Nana was just finishing up.

Noticing the silence of the group, Haru placed her hands on her hips. "Why are you all just sitting there? How uninteresting!"

Kyoko sat down next to her brother, who was restlessly shifting in his seat. The silence was obviously getting to him. She smiled at Nagi, pointing at the feline. "Is that your cat? What's its name?"

Nagi blinked, stroking the kitty's fur. She shook her head. "I found him. He follows me around. I didn't name him."

"Oh. I see…" Kyoko continued to smile. "Do you like him though?"

Shyly, the petite girl nodded, holding up the cat. "Would you like to hold him?"

The auburnette nodded enthusiastically, reaching out for the feline. Haru sat down next to Kyoko, playing with the cat as well. The two girls giggled and Nagi's mouth pulled up into a tiny smile.

When dinner was ready, the kids ran into the kitchen, surprised to see so many visitors. Lambo immediately demanded candy tributes from everyone, and Haru being Haru had some in her purse, so she happily gave them to Lambo. The cow child gleefully stuck the candy into his hair for later, refusing to share with I-Pin.

Dinner was lively with so many guests. Since the table could not accommodate so many people, the teens took to sitting in the living room. Everyone was chatting more freely now about various things, from sports to shows to school. Gokudera was bickering with Ryohei and Yamamoto again, although the latter two did not seem affected by the silverette's anger. Only Nagi remained quiet. The girls tried to strike up conversation with the shy girl every so often, but the petite teen had little to say back.

When dessert time came, Nana took out the cake again, cutting it into enough slices for everyone. Bianchi offered to make tea with the treat, but Tsuna and Gokudera vehemently begged her not to.

The young kids were laughing and getting cake all over themselves, Nana was blissfully doing the dishes, and the other teen were chatting happily amongst themselves. The girls played with the kids after they were done eating. To Tsuna's discomfort, Reborn and Bianchi had disappeared elsewhere again. When everyone was finishing up their cake, Nagi looked around the room, a glint of jealousy flashing through her eyes. "Your house…is so lively, Tsu-nii."

Tsuna jumped at the old nickname, smiling uneasily. "You caught it at a good time. It wasn't like this two weeks ago." The brunet looked down, pursing his lips. "It really wasn't. Things only got better recently."

"I'm…so jealous." Nagi looked like she was ready to cry again, so Tsuna quickly changed the subject.

"Wh-why were you in that park afterschool?"

The girl looked up, blinking. She turned forward, pondering the question. "I…like going there afterschool to study. I saw you guys today, so I decided to watch you."

"Ah…" Tsuna hung his head. "You saw me being totally uncool…"

Nagi studied her friend for a moment before shaking her head. "You weren't. You changed a lot, Tsu-nii." The brunet wondered what she meant, wanting very much to talk to her one on one.

From then on, Nagi said little else. As the festivities were dying down for the night, people began to head home. The Sasagawas refused to let Haru go home alone, so they left with her first. Yamamoto left next, dragging a reluctant Gokudera with him. "We should let Tsuna and Nagi catch up, haha!" was his justification.

The kids knocked out like a light really quickly after all the excitement. Nana cleaned up the last of the dishes and left Tsuna and Nagi in the living room, waving goodnight to them.

Finally alone, Tsuna finally turned to Nagi, caramels full of questions. He hesitated at first, seeing as the girl was shrinking into herself again. She reminded him so much of himself just two weeks ago. "What's wrong Nagi? Did something happen?" When she did not answer for a while, he carefully commented, "I haven't seen you…or your brother…since your family left for that summer trip to Italy all those years ago." Warning bells set off in his head, but he pressed for an answer. Any answer.

A long silence followed. Tsuna awkwardly played with a stray thread on his couch as he waited. The girl seemed ready to cry again, but it seemed like she was making a massive effort not to. "That trip…everything changed after that." When the brunet said nothing, she continued. "W-We went to go see Father's friends in Italy. I-It was fine until…" She clutched her school uniform, shivering. "Onii-sama and I were playing out in the streets and a group of scary men came by. O-Oni-Onii-sama held them off and let me escape. He never came back. Father looked everywhere and couldn't find him and Mother was never herself again."

By now, Tsuna was sitting very still, completely shocked by her story. Never would he have imagined that the strong Onii-sama of his memories had been kidnapped like that, never to be found again. An image of a bright, charismatic blue-haired boy floated through his mind and Tsuna found himself in disbelief again. "Onii-sama…is gone?" He gaped.

Nagi nodded, her fists tightening. "My parents d-divorced after a few years of staying in I-Italy. Mother tried so hard to find Onii-sama, but she couldn't. She took me back to Japan because she said Father would l-lose me too. She remarried, and suddenly, s-she started to hate me. S-she began to blame me for Onii-sama's disappearance and she would…" Nagi's eyes became distant at that, and somehow Tsuna knew how that sentence would finish. Not really knowing what to say, he just sat by to let her finish.

"We just came back to Namimori recently because of Mother's husband's work. She…I don't like being around her anymore. Sh-She's really mean, and scary, and…" Once again, the girl trailed off. Tsuna could not believe the sweet woman from his memories was as Nagi described her now. If that was the case, it explained why the girl did not like being at home.

Having nothing else to say, Nagi sat there, rocking herself back and forth with the stray in her lap. Tsuna, at a loss of words, simply watched her for several minutes, trying and failing to get something out of his mouth. The clock in the living room chimed, catching both of their attentions. Nagi jumped up, startling the cat.

"I-I have to get home. T-Thank for you dinner, and…"

"N-No, it's not a problem." Tsuna stood up too. "I'll walk you home. Mom would be really mad if I let you walk home by yourself." He forced a smile onto his face, which seemed to calm the girl slightly.

Nagi simply nodded and the two headed out. The two walked in silence within the chilly autumn night. As it turned out, the girl lived very far from the brunet now, so he only took her as far as the bus stop. While waiting for the bus to come, he asked, "Are you going to the park tomorrow?"

She anwered with a curt nod, and Tsuna smiled. "I have a feeling I'll be there for the next few days, so I guess I'll see you?" Nagi nodded again and at that point, the bus arrived. After one last wave, Tsuna watched as his reunited friend disappeared into the vehicle. He waited until it was out of sight before returning back to his house, feeling very bittersweet.

The house was quiet now, a far cry from earlier. Quietly, he headed up the stairs to his room, closing the door behind him.

"Ciaossu, Tsuna."

"Hiiiiiieeee!" The brunet screamed, whipping around to see the hitman tutor waiting for his student, homework laid out and ready. "Where were you tonight? Where's Bianchi?"

Reborn completely ignored his student, instead chirping, "It's time to start English. Sit down before I make you."

After an intense two hours of studying, Tsuna was finally released from Reborn's Spartan lessons. He ducked his head out the window, relishing the cool air outside, allowing it to clear his senses. Reborn was completely unreasonable! Everything the brunet did or said incorrectly earned him a slap across his face, so the teen's head was absolutely burning by now. However, the headache from earlier had not come at all. Because he was so distracted, Tsuna failed to see the small figure that was leaving the house, totting a giant book with him.

The next morning, Tsuna awoke to another sharp pain in his neck. He shot up, suddenly remembering the mark from the previous day. Once again, he ran to the bathroom to examine his neck, puzzled to see that the mark was nearly gone now.

Reborn hustled his student to hurry up and soon the brunet was out the door and off to meet his friends. Everyone, including Haru, was waiting for him once again. After waving goodbye to the female brunet, the five Namimori Middle students headed off to school.

There was a noticeable lack of students hanging around the front of the school today, which was unusual. However, the teens quickly attributed it to the presence of Kyoya Hibari, who seemed especially livid today. The prefect did not even bother to hide his tonfas, brooding at the entrance of the school along with a few members of his committee. Once inside, the teens saw that all the students had congregated in the main halls instead, whispering amongst themselves.

Kyoko immediately found her friend Hana, who always knew the news around school. As expected, Hana knew exactly what was up.

"Didn't you guys see the newspaper this morning? One of the students here at Namimori high was attacked around midnight last night. Or more specifically, one of Hibari's disciplinary boys." She held up the town's newspaper, pointing to the front page article. "They said that he's in critical condition and it looked like he had been mauled by some wild creature. But there was heavy evidence that the attack was caused by a human."

"That's awful!" Kyoko gasped, hands flying to her mouth. "Who would do such a thing?"

"Who knows…" Hana grimaced. "But whoever it was left a message."

"Haha, a message?" Yamamoto asked.

"Yeah. The article didn't specify this, but I heard about it from another disciplinary member in passing this morning. He mentioned that there was a golden pocket watch sitting on top of the guy's chest, with its time stopped at twelve o' clock."

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><p><strong>And so, the wheels begin to spin.<strong>

**And I'm sooooo tired. I'm going to have a crappy time waking up for class tomorrow. **

**[1] I noticed that Dino's Italian spelling of his name is actually Chiavarone, so I will use that from now on.**

**[2] Alright, here's my choppy attempt at writing pronunciation for Mandarin. I speak Cantonese, so my Mandarin is absolute crap, haha. As mentioned, this means "older brother" in Mandarin, and it's pronounced like "GUHr guhr." It's really hard to describe the sounds, so sorry if it doesn't match up quite right. **

**[3] Holy, you had no idea how hard it was to write this pushup scene without making the conversation really suggestive. **

**[4] Kiai is pronounced as "key-eye".**

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><p><strong>Long chapter again guys! Hope you still enjoyed it. Please review if you have time, since I'll really appreciate it. C: <strong>

**~Alexie**


	12. Tick Tock

_**I will reply to reviews in private! Author's Note at the bottom now!**_

_**PLEASE READ:**__** Just to clarify, this story is NOT ROMANTICALLY CENTERED. There seems to be a dispute amongst my reviewers about this, so I'm going to clarify it here. Yes, there will be straight pairing hints, and there will also be boy love pairing hints. But that's all they will be: just hints. I'm not going to toss in any kiss scenes or actual romantic scenes that stem beyond an innocent almost-date-hangout. I'm sorry if that's not what you guys want, but I'm not a romance writer: I wrote this story for the angst, tragedy, and action.**__** Disregard any previous Author's Notes about the pairings because they will ONLY be hints.**__** If you want romance, I'm sorry, but there will be close to none in this fic. I will toss in romanic tension, as I mentioned in an another author's note, just because that always adds spice to any story. But no romances will be likely to actually form. I do hope you enjoy this story nonetheless. **_

_**Wow! 100 reviews! Thank you to all my readers and continued supporters! It means a lot to me when you guys take a minute or two to write a even a couple words after a chapter! So thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope to continue to meet your expectations!**_

**Last Chapter****: Dr. Shamal diagnosed Tsunayoshi with a chronic case of Skullitis and gave Reborn a temporary control for the disease. The doctor also warned Reborn against using the Dying Will shots unless Tsuna's body was in shape to handle the power of the bullets, which inspired the hitman to begin training the brunet vigorously. He turned violent with his methods and Tsuna began to become scared of Reborn again. Reborn recruited Tsuna's current family, including Haru, to help the teen with his training. Haru taught her beloved to take proper falls while Ryohei worked on toning the brunet. Less than satisfactory results were being shown, disappointing Tsuna's tutors. While training, the teens all noticed a silent girl watching nearby. When approached, she broke into tears and Tsuna realized it was a very old friend of his named Nagi. He invited her and the other teens to dinner at his house and found out that she had suffered tough times since they last saw each other, including the disappearance of her older brother and the loss of sanity of their mother. The next day, the teens went to school to find a massive commotion outdoors and discovered that a member of Hibari's disciplinary committee had been brutally attacked. **

**But the assaulter had left behind a message in the form of golden pocket watch, seemingly as a warning about a time limit...**

**Warnings:**** Violence and trauma**

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><p><em>Chapter 12: Tick Tock<em>

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><p>"Hieeeee!"<p>

"Tsuna-san, slap harder!"

"I-I'm trying! It hurts though…"

"It will hurt more if you don't slap hard enough!"

The brunet sat up from the ground, nursing his red palms.[1] Haru stood nearby, sighing quietly to herself. Much as she liked Tsunayoshi, his appeal was waning slightly by the day. Still, she stuck with him. It was a difficult feeling to explain; she had faith that the spark of heroism she saw in him was still there, hidden somewhere deep, deep, deeeeeep within the brunet.

Tsuna slowly teetered back to his feet, taking another tentative fall, but fell straight onto his tailbone. He howled again, rolling onto his stomach in pain.

Definitely deeeeeep inside.

Nearby, Tsuna's other friends were watching, although their thoughts were somewhat preoccupied with other matters.

"Haha, Hibari seemed even angrier than usual today!" Yamamoto commented lightly.

"Tch, of course, baseball idiot. One of his men was attacked! If Juudaime were attacked, I'd be ready to blow the bastard sky high!" Gokudera spat.

Ryohei rubbed his arms unconsciously. Kyoko's eyes followed her brother's movement, as she noticed he had been doing that a lot since the day before, although she made no mention about it. "But he was hurt badly to the extreme. Who would have a reason to do that?" he asked.

"It's not like Hibari and his monkeys are saints. I'm surprised that they haven't been targeted sooner," said I bored voice. Hana Kurokawa placed her hands on her hips as she spoke, turning the boys' attentions to her. Hayato scoffed in irritation, muttering something about "another irritating woman in the way", earning him a withering glare from the girl. Kyoko placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder.

"Maybe so, but he didn't deserve to be maimed like that!" The auburnette pouted.

Hana sighed, crossing her arms instead. She looked ready to say something else, but at that point, Reborn piped up, breaking the group of their conversation. "Alright, that's enough for today. Let's head back."

Haru saluted while Tsuna fell into a heap on the ground, panting heavily. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Hana grabbed her friend's arm and whispered, "So what is going on exactly? I've noticed that you all have been hanging around that kid a lot lately, so I'm curious. Do you have a crush on him or something?" She raised her eyebrows at the auburnette, causing the girl to break out in full blush.

"Nothing like that, Hana! Jeez!" The female Sasagawa scratched her cheek. "I don't know…how to explain it. Tsuna-kun is training…and Onii-chan is helping him."

"Training for what?"

"I…don't actually know. But…" She looked over at the brunet before turning back to Hana. "I…think it's something rather serious. I've never seen Onii-chan skip boxing so much in his life! Tsuna-kun just said to trust him…" Playing with her fingers, she mumbled, "I really don't know…what to think…"

Staring silently, Hana finally sighed, "Alright. It doesn't matter. But I'm…kind of curious about all this. I've never seen Sawada put so much effort into anything before. So I'll join along for now."

"Oh no you don't, stupid hag! You have no right to be here!" Gokudera growled at Hana.

The girl turned her head towards Gokudera for a second but did not say a word to him, turning back to Kyoko instead. She blatantly made a show of ignoring him, which set the bomber off into a flurry of profane rage. Yamamoto held the silverette back while laughing.

Shaking her head, Hana inconspicuously pointed her finger towards the swing, where Nagi sat silently, asking, "Who is she? She's just been watching us this whole time."

Kyoko smiled at the quiet girl, and Nagi flinched and looked away, flustered. Smile dropping slightly, Kyoko whispered, "She's a friend of Tsuna-kun's. We don't really know much about her because she didn't talk much, but it seems like something really upsets her. She won't come near us and only seems to talk to Tsuna-kun."

"Ohhh…?" Hana glanced at the girl before shrugging. "Well, this is all very confusing, but as long as you aren't getting yourself into anything bad, I don't mind. You." She furrowed her eyebrows at Kyoko. "You aren't getting yourself mixed up into anything bad right? I know it sounds odd, but just call it women's intuition or whatever." She gripped her best friend's hands, eyes locking.

Blinking, the auburnette replied, "I-I'm not. At least…I don't think so…"

"Of course Kyoko is not, to the extreme!" Ryohei suddenly cut in, slinging an arm over Hana's shoulders, causing the girl to squawk in surprise. "We are preparing Sawada for a boxing match, to the extreme!" Somehow, the grin that was planted on his face seemed a little fake, something that Kyoko was quick to catch. Again, she said nothing.

"By teaching him judo?" Hana countered skeptically.

"Everyone has their own extreme ways of training!"

With a sigh, Hana turned away, muttering, "Muscle-heads."

Reborn's squeaky voice suddenly cut through everyone's conversations. "Get up, Tsuna. We're going home."

After a pitiful groan, the brunet pushed himself onto his feet, slumping his back and nursing his palms on his chest. Gokudera scurried to his side and began fussing over his "Juudaime".

Hana wrinkled her nose at the sight of the baby hitman and kept her distance. Man, she hated kids. So much. So much to the point where she would break out into hives if a child was particularly annoying. She tugged on Kyoko's sleeve. "Let's go, Kyoko. It's getting late."

"Bye everyone!" Kyoko chirped as Hana led her away, waving to the teens and making sure that Nagi saw her smile and wave. Ryohei followed after them, shouting his "extreme" goodbyes to his friends.

After saying goodbye to Hana, the Sasagawa siblings headed home silently. Kyoko itched to ask her brother so many questions, but did not know where to start. She knew he was hiding something. If there was one thing she knew about her brother, it was that he was a terrible liar. She usually played along with his lies since they were harmless little things, like saying he was talking to a teacher when he really just stayed too long at the boxing ring afterschool. However, this time, she knew it was no little white lie and her brother was deliberately hiding something from her.

"Hey Onii-chan. Are you really training Tsuna for boxing?" Ryohei seemed to falter in his step for a moment, but he turned around and flashed Kyoko another smile.

It was a fake smile. She could see right through it.

"Of course!"

Pursing her lips, Kyoko started to say something else, but stopped.

_You need the physical abilities needed to become a mafia boss._

Kyoko clearly heard what Reborn had said and how he had invited them to join Tsuna's "family" in, supposedly, some sort of mafia role-play game.

_But it really couldn't be real, could it? _She thought. _Onii-chan and Tsuna-kun…they wouldn't be doing things like that, right? _

The two siblings had reached home in the meantime and Ryohei quickly rushed into the house. "There's nothing to worry about! We're just whipping Sawada into better shape! So don't worry about it!" With that, Ryohei rushed into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

The older Sasagawa sighed and sat down on the toilet seat, clasping his hands together. Sure he had lied to his younger sister about little things before, but he knew that she was aware of his lies this time. And it really bothered him. He did not want Kyoko angry with him, but he certainly could not tell her the truth.

…Not that he actually fully understood what was the truth. But he knew it involved fighting and danger, which meant that Kyoko was to be kept out of it. All of it.

He undid the bandages on his arms, marveling at his wounds, which had scabbed over. The needles had gone right through his arms, yet the holes had closed up. There was still tension and slight pain, but it did not interfere with his movement as it did before. "What is going on?" he breathed to himself.

Meanwhile, Tsuna had departed from his friends and was headed back towards home. Nagi had tried to leave silently, but the brunet got to say goodbye before his childhood friend left. He wanted to invite her over again but she had left too quickly; he really worried for his friend. Still, the young boss-in-training was exhausted and could only pray for respite before Reborn began his nightly homework session.

As soon as he stepped foot into his house, Nana appeared right before him, her expression one of panic. "Tsu-kun! It's terrible!"

Tsuna knew he was not going to get rest anytime soon.

"Futa went missing! I let the kids all sleep in late today, but when I went to wake them up, I couldn't find Futa anywhere! I searched the whole house and didn't see him. I even took the kids out with me to look for him, but the child is nowhere to be found!"

"What? How is that possible?" Tsuna gaped, immediately turning to Reborn for answers. "What if he was kidn-"

"I would have heard someone break in. Futa must have left on his own."

Nana clutched her hands together, lips pressed together tightly. "He's such a little boy! B-But I can't find him anywhere…and he has no family on top of that…"

"Don't worry, Mama. Tsuna will go take of it. He'll find Futa and bring him home." Reborn smiled up at the woman, but his words sent chills up the brunet's spine.

"Y-You want me to go out in the dark and find Futa? Reborn, I'm exhausted!" Tsuna complained.

The baby hitman shot an uncharacteristically pitiful look at the brunet. "But you're like an older brother to him. As older brother, you should help your little brother, right?"

Caught off guard, the teen mumbled, "W-Well maybe, but…"

"Then go find Futa. He's waiting for you out there somewhere." An added glint in Reborn's eye send another stream of chills down Tsuna's back and he nodded silently, slowly exiting the house, the door clicking closed behind him.

Nana stared helplessly after her son, a wider frown growing on her face. "Maybe I shouldn't have let him go. It's late, and maybe I should just call the police instead…"

"Don't worry Mama. Let Tsuna try his best for now. He's got his cellphone, so everything should be fine. Go rest for now." Reborn smiled reassuringly. When Nana did not return one of her own, he added, "Tsuna is growing up."

Nana looked down, a crooked smile forming on her lips. "Is he? I sometimes see his father in him…but I know he wouldn't appreciate it one bit if I told him that. It makes me really miss my Iemitsu…" She shook her head, smiling at Reborn. "I'll rest. Thank you, Reborn-chan."

Reborn made his way upstairs to Tsuna's room and was greeting by Bianchi. After a round of affectionate hugs and kisses, the female hitman sat down on Tsuna's bed, crossing her arms. "That was the last of them. Not a single one of those men knew who had commissioned them to target the kids and go after Futa de la Stella."

"Not even the Quartet knew anything?" Reborn remained indifferent as he asked. Bianchi shook her head.

"None of the yakuza knew. They admitted that the pay was excellent, which was why they accepted it without question, especially since they were only asked to stir up trouble and hunt down a couple of teenagers. How hard could that have sounded to them?"

"They're idiots, is what." Reborn scoffed. "True hitmen know not to accept any task without finding out all the strings attached first. So, where's the money?"

The rose-haired woman frowned. "Gone."

Reborn hardly seemed surprised.

However, Bianchi's lips quirked up. "When I broke into their vaults to look for the money and see if I could trace it back to its source, I found nothing. Even the yakuza seemed shocked that the money was gone. They swore that they had men guarding it around the clock until they could store it in the bank inconspiciously. I hardly think they could lose such a large stash of money so easily. So the money disappeared. But they were certain that it had existed. Therefore, only one explanation makes sense."

"The money existed, but only for a moment in time. In short, the money was nothing more than an illusion to fool the yakuza." Reborn narrowed his eyes. "Rokudo Mukuro. As we suspected. Now it's almost certain that_ that_ man is at work here."

"Ah, that's what I concluded as well. But why? Why did he commission the local yakuza to hunt Tsuna? Obviously, he knows who and where the boy is, so why not take him down himself? He would stand a much better chance of getting the job done than any of those yakuza ever could."

Reborn did not reply, crossing his arms and tilting his fedora down. He did not want to admit it, but for once, he could not find an answer to Bianchi's question. A sudden thought occurred to him and he whipped out his cellphone. The female assassin watched quietly as her beloved made an urgent phone call.

Tsuna, in the meantime, was trudging along the streets, glancing from side to side for any sign Futa.

"I'm so stupid…as if he will be so easily found if Mom couldn't find him…" The brunet chided himself, shivering from the cold. He rubbed his hands together as he walked, still glancing at his peripherals. Other than his heavy breathing and shivering whines, the streets were eerily silent.

Cupping his cold hands to his mouth, the brunet yelled out, "Futa! Fuuuutaaa! Are you there?"

His hands dropped to his side when no answer came. "What am I doing…" He kept trudging along, wishing he was home with each passing second. But he knew if he returned home without Futa, Reborn would have punishment waiting. He really wanted to go home, back to his warm house, where it used to only be just him and his mom…

Clenching his fists, Tsuna stopped in his walking, sucking in a deep breath. He jerked his head to the dark heavens, caramel eyes piercing through the pitch black sky. "But it's not like I ever asked for _any_ of these responsibilities! I just wanted a normal life! I'm tired! And I'm tired of this!" He shouted with all the breath he could muster, panting heavily when he finished.

All of a sudden, a thunderous crash shook the night and Tsuna jumped, panic and fear spiking through his shivering body. The once silent night was suddenly filled with the frenzied yells of a human male and the most horrendous cries of what sounded like some rabid beast. The sounds came from around a corner up ahead. The two sides were definitely struggling for survival over the other, but it sounded like the human was losing. Trash cans hit the ground, clothing scrapped against concrete walls, and other sounds of fighting resonated through the night air.

Suddenly, the human gave a bloodcurdling scream that drowned out all other sounds, and a sickening thud followed the scream. Silence returned for a split second before heavy footsteps began echoing.

Then he smelled it. The air was tainted with the scent of blood, so strong that even he could not mistake it. Or perhaps the sudden breeze just brought it over to him. But Tsuna knew that the situation just turned very dangerous.

So why were his legs not moving?

Tsuna only watched in frozen fear as a humanoid figure stalked around the corner. With shaking caramel eyes, the brunet watched the figure turn its head skywards, sniff loudly, and suddenly jerk its head towards the petrified teen.

_Move!_

The figure drew closer, a growl emitting from it. The whites of its eyes and teeth reflected in the moonlight and Tsuna noticed in sick fascination that the humanoid had huge fangs.

_Come on, move! Move!_

Tsuna managed to take a step back.

All at once, the creature pounced and Tsuna tried to turn around to run away.

The creature reached the brunet first, knocking the teen painfully to the ground. By instinct, Tsuna slapped the ground and screamed, although it did little to help with a dead weight on top of him. Still, he retained his consciousness and most of his breath, terrified eyes trained on the figure hovering over him.

The figure stared back. Up close, Tsuna could see blood on the fangs and tried so hard to keep his eyes off of the sharp teeth. His caramel eyes kept floating back to the blood, nonetheless.

_Stop looking, you idiot! _He mentally screamed. He noticed details and colors he never thought existed. As his brain went into overdrive from the adrenaline, he started to breathe heavily.

"Eh?" The figure made a very human sound, shocking Tsuna. "You look familiar, byon…"

The creature cocked his head and it was then that the brunet noticed that the figure looked very much like a human teenager, with the exception of the sharp fangs and thick facial hair running along the jawline. Pathetically, the brunet pushed the creature off his chest and scrambled onto his stomach. Before he got any further, however, he was pinned to the ground once again, and something sharp and _very_ painful was digging into back.

Tsuna cried out in pain, tears coming to his eyes. Somehow, he found his voice. "P-Please l-let me g-g-go…" he wailed, stuttering to the point of near-incoherency.

The assailant laughed, which also sounded very human. He completely ignored his prey's words and instead, commented, "Hey, aren't you that Tenth Vongola brat?"

The brunet stiffened, but screamed again when the agony in his back seemed to increase. The beast began to laugh again. "Wow, I found myself some excellent prey! How unlucky for you, runt!"

Tears started flowing down Tsuna's face as the pain intensified again, but he was reduced to agonized panting. Black was creeping into the edges of his vision and his hearing was muffled by a strange piercing tone.

He heard the creature speak again, however. "You know, I thought the guy Mukuro-sama was after would be less…scrawny and pathetic. You're complete trash! I would've thought I had the wrong guy. Oh well. Guess I'll bring you back to the boss."

The weight atop his back lifted, but Tsuna was too stunned by the aching lacerations in his back to make another escape. He vaguely felt himself being lifted up by the back of his collar like a newborn kitten. Some sense of panic slipped back into his mind and he started to thrash again, but only succeeded in making himself dizzier.

"Quit squirming, runt! I was told to bring you back in one piece if I could help it, byon!"

The teen only continued to struggle through his frenzied and dizzy mind, only trying to get loose. He felt a strong hand grab his head and he yelped. The beast hissed, "Hey runt, I said st-"

Something cut him off midsentence and the brunet felt himself falling back onto the ground, hitting it unpleasantly. A loud crash far off to his side echoed simultaneously. Tsuna looked up to see the beast kneeling in front of the brick wall and could hear a vicious growl rumbling from it. The clacking of shoes drew his attention to a figure next to him and his vision was obstructed by fluttering black cloth.

The murderous intent in the air was almost palpable. Only one person was capable of creating such an atmosphere. Tsuna was too tired to even say a word at this point, so he just stayed where he was as he watched Kyoya Hibari, armed and angry, advance upon the creature.

"Those who disrupt the peace of Namimori will be bitten to death." Venom cut through the air.

The creature hopped to its feet, snarling, "That's my line, bastard. Except, I don't give a flying fuck about your little Namimori, byon."

Hibari sped forward, his coat flapping like a raven's wings, and smashed his tonfa into the beast's face. The creature flew off to the side again, but used its claws to stop himself from skidding all over the ground. Tsuna's mind was clearing slightly and he realized now that it was probably the claws that were digging into his back just now.

With fluid agility, the creature suddenly scaled the wall and began running away atop the building, yelling back, "I'm done here. I have plenty of chances later anyways! See ya later, idiots!" Hysterical laughter faded as the creature ran further away.

Instead of pursuing the attacker, Hibari emitted a growl of his own before stashing away his tonfas. He blatantly ignored Tsuna and strode into the alleyway instead. Seriously concerned that Hibari might turn on him, the brunet scrambled to his knees, biting back any cries of pain from his back. He forced himself to his feet but found that he was shaking so much that he had to stumble to the wall for support.

Hibari's voice drifted out of the alleyway. "This is Kyoya Hibari. Send an ambulance to 4th District, 8th Block.[2]" It seemed like he hung up right afterwards. Figures that Hibari held enough power even with the local authorities that all he needed to do was give his name and an order and could expect it to be carried out. It was really terrifying how much power he really had indeed.

The prefect stomped out of the alleyway, obviously pissed off. Something golden dangled from his hand as he walked and something inside Tsuna bugged him to do what he did next, against his better judgment.

"H-Hibari-san!" The prefect did not turn to the teen, but the brunet could tell that he was listening. Tsuna took a deep breath. "T-Thank you. For saving me."

Hibari grunted in reply, still not looking at the brunet. "Get out of my sight, herbivore."

Tsuna really wanted to ask about the pocket watch, but could not bring himself to speak anymore with the frightening prefect. He heard a siren in the distance. If the police saw him, they would definitely question him and he really did not need more trouble tonight. Silently, he stumbled away, slowly making his way home.

By the time he was home, Tsuna was close to collapsing. He was honestly very frightened that he would walk in and fall unconscious right in front of his mother, so he stood against the door for a few minutes, trying to feel less dizzy. If he could at least make it up the stairs and to his room, he would be home-free…

Maybe. Unless Reborn was cruel enough to make him do work. Tsuna actually did not think it was beyond the hitman to do something like that to him, even if he was so tired and beat up.

His headache had returned. Joy.

When he felt lucid enough, he said a prayer and silently opened the door to his house. To his relief, no one was in sight. He quietly closed the door and took off his shoes, making his way to the stairs. As he began making his way up the stairs, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen and tried to climb faster. The footsteps came to the stairs and he turned around fully to hide his back. At the base of the stairs was his mother.

Nana looked exhausted, but her drooping eyes widened at the sight of her disheveled son. "Tsu-kun! What happened? You're all dirty and sweaty!" She started to take a step up towards him, but Tsuna took another up in response.

"I-I tripped and fell near some trash cans. I-I'm going to shower to clean up." His words came out rushed and unclear, and he felt himself quickly losing it. He looked down sheepishly. "I couldn't find Futa. I-I'm sorry, Mom."

Nana was silent after that. She knew something was wrong, but her son had tried to hide it again. As his mother, she knew. She was about to say something when Reborn showed up at the top of the stairs, a small smile on his face.

"Ah, Tsuna is home. You must be tired. Mama." Reborn began hopping down the stairs. "I'll handle Tsuna from here. Please go and get more rest. Bianchi will call the police about Futa. Please don't worry so much."

In confusion, Nana was whisked away to the kitchen by Bianchi, leaving Tsuna to stand alone at the stairs in a daze. Reborn walked over to his student and slapped him across the face, jerking the brunet back to reality.

"Hiiie! That hurt!" He clutched his cheek, grimacing in pain.

The baby hitman began ascending the stairs once again, scoffing, "Dame-Tsuna, you would have been dead if I had not alerted Hibari. You need to train harder." Reborn walked back to Tsuna's room as he spoke.

Even though he was so exhausted and dizzy and in such agonizing pain, a spark of frustration and anger propelled the brunet up the stairs and to his room. He did not notice that I-Pin and Lambo were in his room, waiting on his bed, and did not realize how shocking it was for them to see the teen burst into the room, face contorted in anger.

"That's enough, Reborn! I'm sick of this!" Tsuna yelled. "I don't want to train anymore, and I don't want to deal with all this mafia stuff anymore! I didn't ask for any of this!"

Reborn ignored the enraged teen and simply hopped back into his hammock. "Go to sleep. You're just tired out from your day. We have a long day ahead, and you'll need to be well-rested for tomorrow."

"W-What?" This time, it was not a stammer of fear, but of disbelief. "Don't ignore me! Reborn!" Tsuna took a shaky step towards the hammock. "I want this to end! Right now! I want everything to just go back to how it was before! Just me and Mom! I was fine before you came with all your dangerous mafia crap. It's putting my family and friends into danger and giving my mom more worries. I now have to lie to her about dangerous things that shouldn't even be happening to me. I'm just a normal teenager!"

The room was quiet except for Tsuna's heavy panting. Reborn's eyes glinted dangerously and he stood up in his hammock. Realizing that maybe he had gone too far, the brunet took a step back in fear. In his blind fury, he had not thought at all about how the hitman would take his words.

"How naïve and utterly stupid you are, Dame-Tsuna." That phrase stung more than Tsuna thought it would. "You were born into this destiny, whether you wanted it or not. I may have originally thought that I found you by chance, but I now know that this was destined. You were designated, by fate, to become intertwined with the mafia."

"What do you mean by fate?" Tsuna asked in confusion.

"That's not my place to say. You'll find out soon enough." Reborn glared hard at the brunet. "And you said that you would honestly go back to how things were before?"

Tsuna gritted his teeth. "Y-Yes. I-I would." Flashes of his abuse and torment flitted through his mind. "I…I wasn't in any r-real danger." The bullies. The loneliness. The pills. The teen faltered in his words, doubt crossing his face. "I-I…I…"

"You want to go back to the bullies beating you up every day. You want to go back to eating lunch alone without any friends. You want to go back to an empty house without warmth or comfort. You want to go back to your depression and suicidal thoughts. You want to go back to Mama working two jobs, where one guaranteed that she would be sexually harassed on a regular basis." Each sentence stabbed through Tsuna, with the final one sending the strongest stab through him. He hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Reborn scrutinized his student.

"You're telling me you want to go back to all that?"

"M-Mayb-"

"I told you to speak clearly, without stuttering!" Reborn's voice nearly raised to a shout.

"M…m…m…" Tsuna began to shake and he backed into his wall. His wounds stung from being touched and he yelped, falling to the ground. Reborn watched silently as his student kneeled on the ground. He studied his wounds, clicking his tongue. The two kids had been silent the entire time, too scared by Tsuna's outburst to say anything. Jumping down from the hammock, the hitman began to approach his student, but Tsuna started to speak again.

"N-No…"

Reborn stopped, allowing his student to speak more.

"No…I don't want that life back. I h-hated it. I-I hated myself." He looked up, desperation in his eyes. "But I didn't want to live a dangerous life either! I don't want my friends getting hurt! I just made friends, and I don't want a single one of them hurt because of me!" His voice strengthened at the end and Reborn smiled at the telltale flash of orange that lit up in the brunet's caramels for a split second.

"Don't count your friends out like that. They are strong. I would not have allowed weak people to serve under you." Reborn scoffed. "But that's why I'm here. If they can't protect themselves, I'll make you into a person who can protect them. Dame-Tsuna doesn't have to be Dame-Tsuna."

Finally, the two kids broke their silence. They had been waiting for Tsuna to return with Futa, but those concerns had gone out of their minds for the moment.

I-Pin jumped off the bed and ran over to Tsuna. "_Gēge, _I-Pin help too! I-Pin thanks _gēge_ for helping and giving place to live! G_ēge_ is great!"

"Lambo-san is still the greatest though!" the cow child declared. "But…" He looked off to the side. "Tsuna isn't bad either." He ran out of the room afterwards without another word. I-Pin stayed behind, waiting for the teen to respond.

When the brunet had nothing else to say, Reborn pursed his lips. "How long are you going to grovel like that? Go clean up and dress your wounds."

Tsuna finally stood up, albeit unsteadily, his face very tired again. He only nodded, stumbling to the bathroom. Although it was embarrassing, I-Pin helped him with both showering and dressing his wounds. The little girl seemed to not feel embarrassed while gently helping him to clean his back of blood. The brunet was very careful to keep the front part of his body hidden while she did so.

"Cuts not too bad. Very clean, but a little deep. Alright in one week!" I-Pin chirped as she carefully cleared away the blood to see the wound better.

Tsuna closed his eyes, quietly saying, "Thank you, I-Pin."

The little girl hummed in reply.

It took a while, but eventually Tsuna endured the shower and got out, dried himself, and allowed I-Pin to bandage the punctures. She placed some soothing medicine on it before doing so, allowing the teen to relax dramatically.

Reborn allowed his student to skip his homework for the night, which Tsuna was grateful for. While he was falling asleep, two thoughts dominated his mind.

Reborn did care, in his sadistic and assertive ways. He did bring about positive changes in Tsuna's life, even if there were negative ones as well. In the end, it was not all bad. Now that what happened has happened, there is nothing he can do but get through it. Learning to overcome things will be the first step.

The second was that he prayed that he could get through the whole night sleeping on only his stomach without rolling over.

When the teen passed out into bliss, the hitman quietly slipped out of his room and into a secluded part of the house. Leon transformed into a phone once again and Reborn redialed the last number he called.

"What do you what, infant?" Hibari's livid voice answered.

Reborn frowned. Clearly Hibari had not found his targets. "You know what I want."

There was a short pause, in which Reborn interrupted, "Do not hang up, because I will just find you."

Another pause before Hibari grunted, "Hn." The begrudging tone in his voice was evident. "There were two attacks. Both enemies escaped."

"And of the pocket watches?"

A short chuckle sounded from the other end. "You heard about them." It was a statement, not a question. "They're all frozen in time. One at 12, 11, and 10."

"I see."

"I have nothing else to tell you." A click sounded on the line as Hibari hung up. Reborn stared at his phone for a moment before Leon transformed back into his chameleon form and found his way back onto Reborn's fedora.

Reborn walked back into the brunet's room and as he watched his student snore away, he murmured, "Running out of time, hm?"

Tsuna awoke the next morning on his stomach. His body was subconsciously aware of the wounds on his back and had not allowed him to roll over. Still, he was pretty sore, even if I-Pin's medicine helped a whole lot.

The next day, the students at Namimori Middle School were discussing another two attacks that had occurred the night before. Tsuna kept his mouth shut, painfully aware of the throbbing in his back. He wondered about the golden watch he saw Hibari with, remembering what Hana had said.

Other than that, school was uneventful. Gokudera's blatant disregard for authority managed to get Tsuna excused from gym class, which was a blessing for his poor back. Still, Reborn insisted on training again in the afternoon, although instead of the usual muscle toners and judo-falling, he gleefully told the brunet that he was going to play dodge ball today.

Thus began the most terrifying game of dodge ball in the world, as Yamamoto and Ryohei were the ones throwing the balls. And they aimed to _hit_.

Tsuna saw right through Reborn's scheme. Because of his injured back, if Tsuna ever turned his back to his opponents, his wounds would take the brunt of the blows. So he had no choice but to take the attacks head-on or to dodge them.

This would have been a lot less scary if it had not been a baseball genius and an energetic boxer doing the throwing.

Hana was a regular visitor now as well, although she was not nearly as encouraging as the others were. Her presence made Tsuna nervous. To be honest, the only reason Tsuna did not want her there was because he was afraid Reborn was going to drag her into this mess as well. However, Hana always kept a distance from the hitman, so it was unlikely that Reborn will pull the girl into their "mafia game."

Or, at least, that's what Tsuna was hoping it would be.

Another regular visitor was Nagi. No matter how hard Kyoko and Haru tried to invite the quiet teen to their group, Tsuna's old friend refused to budge from her swings, choosing to sit silently and pet her stray cat instead. Even the brunet tried to invite her back to his house for dinner again, but the girl was adamant about refusing all invitations extended to her. Tsuna wondered if it had something to do with the bruise that had appeared on her cheek.

When he was given a five minute break one day, he used that chance to talk to Nagi. He sat down next to her on the swings, noticing that everyone was keeping a distance from the two of them. By now, they had realized that the girl would only talk with Tsuna and no one else.

"Hey Nagi, how are you?"

The girl drew circles in the sand with her feet, quietly murmuring, "I'm ok."

Tsuna could tell she was lying. Or maybe this was as "ok" as she could get.

"You still have that cat?" He asked. She nodded, but said nothing.

The two sat quietly before he spoke again. "Mom's been asking about you. Are you sure you won't want to come over for dinner again sometime? We miss having you around." He blushed a bit, swinging himself back and forth a bit.

Nagi shook her head. "N-No. It's ok, Tsu-nii. I'm troubling you."

Tsuna's heart twisted at the old nickname. He was like an older brother to her, so he frowned. "No, you're no-"

"Oi, Tsuna. Get back to training." With a harsh kick, Tsuna faceplanted into the ground before him. As he got up to his knees, he turned around to look at Nagi one more time. Her huge purple eyes locked on his caramels and the brunet was hit with a familiar wave of emptiness from her eyes. It was the same look of emptiness that used to reflect back at him when he stared at himself in the mirror, bruised and beaten.

As much as he wanted to worry for Nagi, he had to worry about himself as well. As his back recovered quickly, thanks to I-Pin's care, Reborn placed him back into muscle toning and even made him learn how to take front-falls. "Eating dirt won't do you any good if you're on concrete. You need to learn how to fall forwards as well, Tsuna." So Haru was called forward to teach him again.

And so, training continued as normal the following days. Hibari was becoming increasingly livid with each passing day because of the nightly attacks on members of his disciplinary committee. On the fifth day after the first attack, a different victim was found.

"W-What? Mochida? Mochida was attacked?" Tsuna gasped, drawing his friends' attention.

Yamamoto's smile fell when he heard the news. Gokudera merely scoffed, murmuring something along the lines of "Served that bastard right."

Hana, who had brought the news, chewed her lip. "That makes seven victims. All either mauled or stabbed with needles." Ryohei shifted at the mention of needles, his face hardening. Hana continued, "They have been increasing police patrols, but that hasn't deterred the attacker one bit. Actually, they believe there are two people at large now."

The news had shaken the school up. Up until now, everyone had assumed that someone had been seeking retribution against the disciplinary committee, but Mochida had no connections with Hibari's group whatsoever. The only connection between the victims was that they all came from Namimori Middle School. That was a fact that no one missed. Naturally, many people stopped going out after dark, fearing that they will be attacked.

Tsuna was particularly affected by the news. He could not really recall the words of his attacker several nights ago. It was as if his brain was trying to block out all memory of that night and it scared him. He felt like there was something very important within those memories. Something he needed to remember. But all her could recall was being attacked and then being saved by Hibari.

He really could not put his heart into training that day and Reborn noticed. At first, the hitman considered kicking his student back into gear, but something felt funny in the air. A sense of foreboding had been poking at the hitman all day, so when Tsuna fell onto his knees after doing five hundred jumping jacks, he said, "Alright, that's all for today. Let's go home."

Tsuna practically cried tears of joy to have ended training early and was definitely not going to question Reborn about it. The hitman was too busy peering up into the sky, glancing around for something.

The brunet made his way over to the girl on the swing, who looked up to see her friend smiling at her.

"Come on Nagi, just one night can't hurt, right? Really, Mom has been asking so much about you. She's been…going through some tough times." His face fell. Futa. There was still no word about the boy and Nana had been very worried about him, even if she did not show it. Tsuna had inherited his mother's ability to hide her emotions from everyone else, but her son could tell that she was distressed about the lost boy.

The earnest insistence on Tsuna's part finally worked and the girl agreed with a nod. She got slowly to her feet, carrying the cat in a hug. Naturally, Tsuna invited the others, including Hana this time. His mother loved crowds, after all.

Strangely enough, even Hana agreed to go for dinner at the Sawada's. So the group of teens began walking to Tsuna's house, chatting happily as they went along. The girls were getting along really well with each other. Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Ryohei were all arguing about something again; well actually, it was more like Gokudera and Ryohei arguing, and Yamamoto laughing. Tsuna kept Nagi company, although the girl said little more.

Suddenly, Nagi's cat jumped from her arms and began running forward. Alarmed, the girl yelped, watching the stray chase after a yellow bird that had flown into their path.

"W-Wait!" She cried, running delicately after the feline. The group's attention was caught by the usually inanimate girl.

"What's Nagi-chan doing?" Kyoko asked, blinking in surprise.

"Haha, looks like her cat ran away. Let's go help her catch it!" Yamamoto suggested, taking off into a jog.

So the group ran after Nagi and the cat, all the way towards the main part of town. The cat continued chasing the little yellow bird, never able to capture it.

Eventually, Nagi caught up with the cat at the side of the street. It squirmed in her grasp, still staring after the yellow bird. The little creature perched itself on top of a stoplight, preening its feathers. The feline continued to watch it, yowling in irritation.

"No. D-Don't chase it anymore." Nagi scolded quietly, panting slightly from running. Everyone caught up afterwards, congratulating the girl on catching her cat. Nagi blushed furiously, bowing her head so that her hair covered her face.

The light's timer was running down, so the group waited on the sidewalk for the next light. The cat never stopped watching the bird. A siren sounded in the distance, shocking the little bird. It flew away. Suddenly, the cat squirmed out of Nagi's grasp again. It ran out into the street just as the light turned yellow.

To everyone's shock, Nagi ran out into the street to give chase. Some kind of instinct kicked in within Tsuna and he ran after her, despite knowing the danger of running out into streets during a red light. He ignored the frantic calls of his friends behind him.

"_Tsu-kun, you should never enter a street on a red light! Never cross the street before looking both ways! Only cross at crossing walks and when the light is green, ok?" _His mother would use to always tell him this when he was a kid, along with Nagi and her brother, until it was drilled into their minds. They would always visit a particular convenience store in a busy part of town because it had a special type of popsicle that they could not get anywhere else. So Nana would always remind them of sidewalk safety every time they reached the busy intersection in front of the convenience store.

He just threw it all out of the door when he saw Nagi, his old friend, run out into a busy intersection, all for the sake of a cat.

He flinched as he heard cars honking at him. Nagi reached her cat quickly this time, catching him directly in the middle of the intersection. Through all the honking, he did not notice that the sounds of the sirens were getting louder by the second. He grabbed Nagi and started pulling her back towards the others, panting in exasperation. "Nagi! Y-You can't just do that! You could have been killed!"

They were holding up cars on both sides, so no cars should have been able to move. Yet, the sounds of the sirens were getting louder.

A car screeched into the wrong side of the street, with police cars tailing hot at its trails. The car sped down the street just as Tsuna and Nagi ran into that side of the street.

One second. The world passed by so fast for Tsuna that he had no time to register anything that happened in that single second. One moment he was blinded by the rush of incoming headlights and within that same moment, something had forcefully crashed into his side, sending him sprawling back onto the sidewalk. Screams of humans and metal filled his ears as he hit the ground. He registered a dull pain on the limbs he landed on, but nothing more.

Did the car hit him? Why did it not hurt as badly as it should have? Did the car not hit him then? Why was he back on the sidewalk? A sudden, single, panicked thought filled his mind and he whipped around, crying out, "Nagi-!"

His voice choked off as his vision filled with red. The screams that had faded out of his hearing for a second suddenly amplified tenfold. He scrambled to his feet, completely ignoring the red light again. A car had skidded to a stop in the middle of the intersection, surrounded by police cars. Beyond the hood of the car, Tsuna saw her. Within the next second, he was at her side.

The world was just going so fast right now. Just like the growing red stain on her white school blouse.

All Tsuna could do was scream her name again.

The cat and the bird had both disappeared.

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><p><strong>[1] In case y'all don't remember, he's learning how to take judo falls, which involved slapping the ground to absorb some of the impact of the fall. <strong>

**[2] Well this was something interesting to look up. The addressing system in Japan is significantly different from other countries in that instead of having street names, they write their addresses by splitting up a city or town into districts and then each district into blocks. Each house is assigned a number within each block. For this, I only used the district and block. There's a lot to how addresses are written, but for sake of simplicity, I'm only using their district-block-house number part of it. **

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><p><strong>Well, that was quite a way to end this chapter…<strong>

**I'm going to start only putting one Author's Note and only putting important notices and the previous chatper's summary at the top! It feels silly to have two Author's Notes.**

**I'm going to write the chapters shorter from now on so that I can release chapters a bit faster. Or at least, that's what my intention is. New Year's Resolution, if you will! I'd like to have a steady schedule of updates, to be honest. I don't like making people wait. Please review, as it really gives me a great push to update faster! I'll try to update as fast as my study schedule will allow me, so for now, I'm going to try for a biweekly release. Let's see how it goes! Keep me to it guys! **

**For reviewers without accounts, I'm sorry I cannot send you a private response, but I thank you for reading my story and for reviewing!**

**Anyways, happy new year! Thanks for reading and please review! I'd really appreciate it! **

**Cheers~**

**Alexie**


	13. Unfairness of Life

I know I said I was going to keep the A/N on the bottom, but I wanted to announce that (at least for the next few chapters) I now have a beta! Say hello to Shiki105, who has graciously agreed to help beta my story. I received good advice on my work so I really wanted to ask Shiki to help me out a bit. So I'm proud to announce that this chapter has been beta-ed by Shiki105!

_**Last Chapter: **_**Hana has joined the group, but is still in the dark about the mafia activities.**** Upon returning home, Tsuna found that Futa had gone missing, which gave Reborn the idea to send his student out to find the boy. While searching for the lost child, Tsuna became increasingly frustrated with his situation, particularly when he had the ill fortune of running into the culprit who had been attacking Hibari's subordinates. The monster easily overwhelmed the teen, but he was saved by none other than Namimori Middle's ferocious prefect. Back home, Tsuna exploded at Reborn, fed up with all the dangers the mafia had been bringing to him and his family. Reborn laid the argument to rest, however. After training the next day, Tsuna finally succeeded in convincing Nagi to come over to his house for dinner again. However, on the way home, their peaceful trip was destroyed by a speeding car. **

_**Warnings: **_**Violence **

**Nagi pushed Tsuna out of the way, but at the cost of her own safety. **

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><p><em>Chapter 13: Unfairness of Life<em>

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><p>Tsuna's wail pierced through everyone's momentary stupor. Kyoko and Haru were the first to break off from the sidewalk, rushing through the crowd of cars to the center of the intersection. Gokudera was next to move, screaming out for his beloved boss while Yamamoto pulled out a phone. A crowd of passersby realized what had happened at this point and some pedestrians were converging around the group to get a closer look at the situation.<p>

At this point, even Hana joined in to help, irritably turning on the crowd. "Have some tact and stop staring!" She glared daggers at the ones closest to her, who backed off sheepishly. Ryohei stepped up next to her, crossing his arms. He did not need to say a word for the people to understand that they needed to stand back. Hana raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise, but turned back to the task at hand.

Yamamoto was talking rapidly on his phone with the emergency operator, requesting an ambulance. The police officers had run out of their cars to detain the runaway and call for help.

Tsuna was on his hands and knees, eyes wide. He was shaking. His mouth had dried up, leaving him unable to utter another sound. Gokudera fell to one knee beside his boss, hands wavering over the brunet in concern. He did not look at Nagi, repressing memories that threatened to float up.

"Juudaime!" he finally said, placing a firm hand on Tsuna's shoulder. But his boss's eyes were glazed over.

Haru and Kyoko were kneeling next to Nagi, calling desperately for a girl neither of them knew very well. Despite this, they stayed by her side, tears streaming down their cheeks. Nagi's eyes cracked open, alarming everyone around her.

Tsuna snapped out of his stupor for a moment, blinking. "Nagi…" His eyes narrowed sadly. "W-Why…?"

Her mouth opened, but her words were too soft to hear. The right side of her face was a bloody mess and Tsuna had to suppress the urge to vomit. Instead, he focused on her moving mouth, leaning in closer to try and hear her. Her eyes clouded in frustration and tears streamed down her face.

"I...I don't…want to die. Precious life. Brother. Gave me." Tsuna felt like his heart was about to collapse. He could only stare in a daze.

Kyoko and Haru knew they should not do anything to agitate the Nagi but each grabbed one of her hands, clutching it gently. An odd flare of warmth initiated at the contact, and both girls gasped but did not relinquish their hold. Nagi's face relaxed, her eyes fluttering closed.

Everyone stayed the way they were until policemen came over to hustle them away. Soon after, an ambulance came roaring towards the intersection and Nagi was loaded up into the back. All the while, Tsuna did not budge from his spot, only getting to his feet when Gokudera tugged him. One paramedic appraised the teens while the others were working over Nagi and asked, "Are any of you guys part of her family?"

When Tsuna said nothing, it was the silveret[1] who spoke up in his place. "Maybe he's not family…but…" He sent a sidelong glance at Tsuna and continued, "He's her best friend. Someone who is really important to her."

The paramedic looked at Tsuna, obviously doubting the teen's mental condition at the moment. "But I can't allow anyone who isn't family…"

Gokudera cut him off with a steely glare. "He's riding in the ambulance with her."

Flinching, the paramedic backed off but said, "Sir, rules are rules. We cannot allow him inside the ambulance. We have to hurry in any case."

The silveret looked ready to have another outburst, but a voice behind the group interrupted. "Hurry to the hospital. We will have the officers escort the kids there behind you."

An elderly officer smiled when Gokudera turned around in surprise. The paramedic nodded and closed the doors to the ambulance behind him and the vehicle sped away. The officer called another over and informed him about the situation. He then gestured to the group of teens to follow him.

Gokudera did not budge at first, but Yamamoto gave him a friendly slap on the back. "Come on Gokudera, it's fine." The usual spark of laughter in his voice was absent and Gokudera looked up at the baseball idiot, noting that his smile did not reach his eyes. Tsuna was still dumbstruck, not responding to the people around him. Ryohei and Hana rejoined the group, neither commenting on Tsuna's state, though they threw frequent glances at him. Hana soon went to comfort Kyoko and Haru.

"Huh? Where's the baby?" Ryohei asked, pointing out something everyone else had missed.

Haru was first to panic, glancing all around. "Eh? Where did Reborn-chan go?"

Kyoko's frown deepened but, as she was about to say something, Gokudera piped up, "Reborn can take care of himself. We should focus on the matters at hand right now."

If Tsuna could not talk, then, as his right hand man, the silveret would do it for him.

The officer led them to two cars. The girls stuck together and Ryohei followed them to watch over his sister. That left Tsuna, Gokudera and Yamamoto to take the other car, which was driven by the elderly officer. Soon, they were headed towards the hospital.

Gokudera alternated between glaring at the officer in the mirror and glancing at Tsuna. Yamamoto was looking out the window without a word when Gokudera finally spoke. "Why did you offer us rides?"

The old man burst out in laughter. "Quite mistrustful, aren't we?"

Gokudera's scowl deepened.

"It's a bit of an embarrassing story, to be honest. That small child in the suit was with you, right?" The bomber and baseball star both perked up at the mention of the baby hitman, and allowed the man to continue.

"You see, I'm a regular at the Vongola. They make the most high class Italian food I've ever had. I have been seeing the boy at the restaurant a lot recently, hanging out with the manager. The manager and I are close friends. Though I've never spoken to the boy before, he asked me to escort you all to the hospital as a favor just now. We have to send some of the officers back to the station and the hospital is on the way anyways, so I figured a quick detour would not be a huge problem. It's just a small favor, after all. Also…" The man's eyes crinkled. "I know what that young man next to you is going through. I'm sorry it happened to him. To all of you."

The rest of the ride was quiet and the cop gave the teens his well-wishes before returning to the station. The others had arrived at the same time and the group walked into the hospital, immediately asking the lady at the reception what Nagi's condition was. They were told that no information could be released at this time and to wait patiently.

It was evident that everyone was very tired. Tsuna did not appear as dumbstruck anymore, but only sat quietly with his head hung. Kyoko and Haru took the seats usually occupied by Gokudera and Yamamoto beside Tsuna, silent concern in their eyes. While the baseball star was complacent about taking another seat, the bomber was restraining himself from yelling at the girls. He settled for a seat right across from the brunet.

Hours passed in this manner. Ryohei got fidgety at one point and jumped up to pace. At around nine o' clock, the girls left to get dinner for everyone from a nearby convenience store.

Not long after they left, a doctor came through the doors, glancing around the room before heading to the teens. Eyes lighting up in understanding, all of them, including the silent Tsuna, got to their feet.

"Are you here for Nagi Satomi? Are you family?"[2]

"Yes, he is her cousin. We were with her as well." Gokudera pointed to Tsuna and lied, knowing that getting the doctor to cooperate with them would be hard unless they were family. Ryohei shot a look at the silveret and looked ready to dispute his words, but Yamamoto held an inconspicuous hand up to stop him. He flashed an uneasy smile at the boxer and Ryohei backed down.

Despite looking skeptical, the doctor sighed and began to explain, "We were able to stabilize her, but she has suffered very severe injuries and is still in critical condition. We cannot allow anyone to see her at this time."

A short bout of silence followed when a small voice spoke up. "H-How…How bad?" Tsuna was looking straight at the doctor, eyes tired, figure shaking. Somehow, he knew there was no good news to be had.

Keeping a stony face, the doctor pulled out a clipboard. He did not speak for a few moments, still unsure whether to disclose the information written on there.

At that moment, two sets of footsteps thundered down the hall and a couple came into view. The woman looked furious while the man seemed apprehensive. She stopped short before the doctor, panting.

"My daughter! What happened to her?" she screeched. The man beside her placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook it off.

Perhaps having had seen such scenes many times before, the doctor calmly asked, "Are you Nagi Satomi's parents?"

The woman was still panting and hysterical, so the man answered in her stead. "We are. What…What happened to Nagi?" His voice was strong, but a slight tremor was noticeable.

"She's stabilized for the moment, but is still in critical condition. She sustained many injuries to her organs. Her stomach and many parts of her intestines are ruptured and are barely holding up for now. We had to remove her appendix immediately. Her liver and kidney are failing, and we need to get her transplants as soon as possible. Since her blood is type B positive, finding donors will be difficult. We may be able to get a liver, but a kidney from a blood relative would be much more suitable and will be less likely to be rejected by the body."

"How long…will we have to get the transplants?" Nagi's father asked in a quiet voice.

The doctor pursed his lips. "One week. That is a generous estimate. We will keep her stabilized as long as we can, but there is a limit to how effective hospital equipment can be after this."

"One…One week?" the man gasped. He looked at his wife, but she was only staring at the doctor, her eyes wide. The look on her face was not one of grief, or even shock. It was blank.

"If either of you wish to donate a kidney, I can draw up the forms immediately. The sooner she receives the transplant, the b-"

"Why would I donate a kidney to her?" the mother suddenly spoke, her voice even.

The doctor's well-trained professionalism slipped and he balked at her statement."…Satomi-san?"

"I'm not donating a kidney to that girl." Her voice took on an edge of hysteria. "Why should I? I heard from the officer that she had been chasing a cat. A cat! You save a fucking cat, but can't even save my son?! You left him to die and rot…!"

"Honey! Please don't start this again-"

"-And she just goes on living! That useless, pathetic, spineless girl gets to live when my son dies?" She spat out every word, hatred deforming her face. "How is that fair? And she just saves a dirty cat instead! Let her rot with…with that piece of shit!" Her eyes were wild and her voice went up an octave. "That bitch deserves it!"

Tsuna could never have imagined that Nagi's mother had fallen as far as she had. She had been a kind lady who had always offered treats to him when he was with Nagi and her brother. He could not even begin to fathom how a mother could lose one child and begin to hate the other. He could only stare at the woman fearfully.

If not for his mother, Tsuna would have had no reason to struggle along with his insignificant life before Reborn came. His mother had been the Atlas supporting his world, the beam of sunshine that managed to sneak through some flaw in an otherwise cloudy sky.

His friend's mother was nothing like that. She had abandoned her daughter, forsaking all love for her husband and for her daughter as a form of grief. Nagi had lost her brother, her father, and her mother. What kept her going? Why did she cling so desperately to a miserable life?

Gokudera was suddenly screaming, "You're the fucking bitch! How can you say that about your own flesh and blood?"

Tsuna's surprise directed to Gokudera. He heard pain in his voice and saw that the anger lines in his face were also filled with hurt. The silveret took a threatening step towards Nagi's mother, fists clenched. Immediately, Yamamoto was restraining him, smile wiped right off his face. Ryohei pulled him back as well, yelling, "Stop it!"

Nagi's mother was not going to take Gokudera's words lying down. "It was completely her fault! She lied to me, got into trouble and left her brother alone to save herself!"

It hit Tsuna like a strike of lightning. Of course! _Precious life brother gave me._

"Enough…" Tsuna mumbled.

"Everything was her fault!"

"That's…enough…"

"And now she's finally being paid back…!"

"That's enough!" Even Tsuna was startled by how loud he yelled. The woman stopped short and looked ready to yell back, but security officers came hurrying down the hallway.

"Ma'am, let's go sit somewhere else. We are disturbing the other patients." One of the officers barred her from the doctor and the teens. Although she looked ready to pounce, she simply growled and stalked off, leaving her stunned husband behind.

Once his wife was gone, he turned to the others and bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry for the trouble my wife has caused you all. Please, forgive her. She does not mean it. She really doesn't."

Tsuna placed a hand on Gokudera's arm when he felt the silveret tense next to him. No one said a word in reply, so the doctor cleared his throat, trying to catch himself again. "Can you donate?" he asks warily.

With a sad smile, the man shook his head. "I am just her stepfather. My blood-type is different."

The doctor returned the smile. "We will look for donors as soon as possible. We cannot let you see your daughter, but you may see her through the windows, if you'd like."

He nodded and turned to the teens. "Friends of Nagi's?" he guessed. Everyone nodded and he smiled. "It's nice to know that she has such good friends looking out for her. Thank you."

The brown-haired boy could not help but think that the man would not feel the same if he knew that Tsuna was the cause of Nagi's accident.

The group followed the doctor to the viewing window. Through the glass, they all saw a figure hooked up to machines with more tubes than they could count. Machines that, if turned off, would extinguish Nagi's life in an instant.

And with that, Nagi's stepfather, someone who only knew her for a few years, someone who was not related to her, someone who could not even make the girl open up to him, broke down and began to sob.

Suddenly very sick, Tsuna turned around, pressing his palms against his face. He felt glad for Nagi, to have a such a caring stepfather.

But at the same time, he was jealous. Jealous that his own father, his own flesh and blood, did not seem to care that much about him.

"Juudaime." He felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. "Do you want to go home now?"

Tsuna shook his head, still not uncovering his face. "I'm staying tonight."

He allowed himself to be led back to the waiting area, where the girls had returned. From the looks on their faces, it was clear that they had overheard at least part of the conversation.

It was Yamamoto who called Nana to let her know that Tsuna was not returning that night. Instead of telling her the real reason, he laughed, "He wanted to be around us a little longer! Don't worry; we'll bring him home tomorrow after school."

Of course she questioned nothing and simply wished the teens a good night.

Yamamoto and Gokudera had a silent agreement to stay the night with Tsuna, but Ryohei insisted on taking the girls home. After solemn good night wishes, the teens parted.

Tsuna was not sure when he had fallen asleep, but he was rudely awoken by a loud flurry of noises in the morning. He immediately knew where he was and blinked the sleep from his eyes. Realizing that he had fallen asleep on a couch and feeling embarrassed that he taken up so much space, he bolted up, feeling dizzy from the movement. He felt a prick on his neck and swiped at the pinch, but felt only skin.

"Good morning, Juudaime!"

"Haha, morning, Tsuna!"

Before Tsuna had a chance to return the greetings, he felt a familiar and forceful blow to the back of his head. He yelped, managing to catch himself with the armrest of the couch.

Reborn fell down gracefully in front of him, a smirk on his face. "Ciaossu." There was an unidentifiable glint in his eye and Tsuna flinched on reflex, unconsciously shying away from the hitman.

Yamamoto laughed. "Mornin', kid!"

Gokudera raised his eyebrows. "Reborn! Where were you yesterday?"

"Just checking some things. Tsuna, you have school in an hour. What do you think you are doing, sleeping in?" The hitman tutor stared at his student in disapproval.

Shoulders slacking, Tsuna mumbled, "I don't want to go to school today…"

Reborn was quick to deliver another blow to his head. He ignored the teen's cries. "You have no excuse to skip. Go to school," a deadly edge crept into his voice – something Tsuna knew to never stand against. He considered refusing again, but another look at Reborn dissolved any thoughts about ditching school.

He looked down at Reborn one last time before grabbing his bag, and then looked to Gokudera and Yamamoto, who were smiling at him. Unable to bring a smile to his face, he glanced over in the direction of the critical ward. Remembering Nagi's prone form linked up to all of those tubes and machines made him feel sick.

As if reading his mind, Yamamoto said, "We can come back after school to visit Nagi, alright, Tsuna?" His voice was strong, but gentle enough to coax the brunet to return his gaze to his friends.

He nodded, allowing himself to be led out of the hospital to school. Once he was gone, Reborn turned towards the double doors leading to the patient care area. Years of training developed the stealth he needed to easily sneak past the doctors and nurses. He found the room he was looking for and walked in.

A man with a pompadour lay on the hospital bed, arms wrapped in bandages. One leg was elevated out of the covers, also wrapped up. Upon hearing the door open, he turned towards it, furrowing his eyebrows when he saw no one there.

"Tetsuya Kusakabe. I can't imagine that Hibari would be too thrilled at this moment," Reborn remarked, hopping up onto a chair so that the disciplinary committee member could see him.

Eyes narrowed in suspicion, Kusakabe asked, "Who are you?"

"Reborn." the hitman's curt reply was all that was needed, as Kusakabe's eyes widened at the name.

"I see. That's what Kyo-san meant when he said you were very different." He closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them, eyes darting over to his bedside table. His belongings had been neatly piled on the table as a request to the nurse. "On the table, there's a piece of paper. Kyo-san told me to pass it onto you if you came by. He's left to go take care of the enemy." He smiled, confident in his leader's victory.

Reborn hopped onto the table to grab the paper, unfolding it to read its contents. "Did you see what's written here?"

"No. Kyo-san only said to give it to you so I refrained from looking at it."

From his peripheral vision, Reborn noticed a golden pocket-watch. He flipped open the lid, seeing that the hour hand was set to five. All of a sudden, it made sense. Sure, he had suspected some things, but the pieces had finally snapped into place.

"I'm not so sure that Hibari can handle this himself," Reborn said airily, tucking the letter into his hat. "Thank you. I will be going now."

"Wait a momen-" Before Kusakabe could get another word out, the baby hitman was gone. Kusakabe had been surrounded by very charismatic and imposing people his whole life, and as unusual as it was, the child in the black suit had displayed an exceptional aura of power. His words stirred concern in Hibari's subordinate. With a heavy sigh, the man leaned back into his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Please be safe, Kyo-san."

Reborn left the hospital with haste, trying to track down the teens. Leon slithered onto his arm and transformed into a phone. He hit a number on speed dial and got straight to the point.

"Bianchi, go find the Sasagawas. If the enemy comes, take care of them."

He snapped his phone closed after hearing the woman's affirmation and sped towards Namimori Middle School.

Meanwhile, Ryohei and Kyoko were headed to school while making plans to visit Nagi at the hospital. Hana was tagging along and the group had picked up Haru along the way.

"Do you think Tsuna-kun, Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto are going to school today?" Kyoko asked, trying to start conversation. All of them were still rather solemn from the previous night's ordeal. From the bags under everyone's eyes, it was clear that no one had had a good rest.

"I wouldn't put it past those monkeys to skip." Hana scowled, but it quickly withered into a frown. "But that's harsh, what happened. I would honestly be surprised if Sawada showed up. Then again, he's always braved through some tough stuff…" she said the last part quietly, earning her a curious glance from Kyoko.

"Poor Tsuna-san…I'll have to cheer him up somehow!" Haru declared, full of determination.

Kyoko felt herself frown harder at her words, quickly pushing back the bad feeling that was beginning to bite her again. No, she was friends with Haru. They both had Tsuna and everyone else's best interests at heart. Her mouth quirked up in a small smile. "We can bring flowers to Nagi-chan. Even if we can't go in, maybe the hospital staff will accept it for her."

Haru nodded enthusiastically. "Good idea! Let's go after school! We can pick up flowers on the way there. Maybe we can stay there longer today. I'll bring my homework too."

With a nod, Kyoko turned to Hana, asking, "Are you coming?"

The auburnette's best friend ran a hand through her dark locks, considering the invite. Ryohei, who had been standing behind the girls, suddenly perked up as Hana began to speak. "I think I'll have to p-"

Before she could finish her reply, she was knocked harshly off to the side, barely catching herself against the walls on the side of the street. Similarly, Kyoko and Haru had been tossed off to the other side, with nothing more than the rough ground to catch them as they fell.

Ryohei was still standing, in his ready stance for boxing. He took a single ragged breath before shouting, "Who are you?"

The girls stopped rubbing their sore spots to glance up. Before the boxer was a young blond-haired male with jagged scars across his face. He was grinning savagely, his canines visibly sharper and longer than his other teeth. He brandished his claws haughtily.

Haru yelped in surprise, scrambling to her feet. "Who is that dangerous-looking man?" Hana could only stare at her stupidly, as if questioning why she would even say such a comment out loud.

Kyoko was quick to get to her feet as well and took a step back. After that, none of the girls moved, eyes cautiously studying the blond-haired boy.

"You're Ryohei Sasagawa, am I right, byon?" The newcomer's nasally and grating voice sent unpleasant chills up their backs.

"I am, to the extreme! What do you want?"

The strange boy's grin widened further. He flexed his hand, flashing his claws viciously. Without a word, he sped forward, slashing with his arm. Ryohei dodged the attack with a sidestep. His opponent tumbled forward after missing and whipped around.

"Stop! I will not fight you here!" Ryohei declared, but kept up his defensive stance.

His adversary spat on the ground, an irritated scowl on his face. Ignoring the boxer's words once again, he took off after Ryohei, swiping his claws repeatedly. Ryohei dodged each attack, delivering a punch once he found an opening. His arms stung from the strain, having not fully healed from the encounter with the mysterious teen with the yo-yos. He also knew that his attack lacked his usual power.

The savage boy hissed from the hit, drawing back a few steps and rubbing his wound. A sly smile spread across his lips as he growled "I'm going to have fun with you."

Not sure what to make of it, Ryohei held up his fists again. He glanced over to his sister, making sure that she was ok before looking back his opponent.

The momentarily glance was not lost on the strange boy, whose attention shifted to the auburnette behind Ryohei. He licked his lips, stalking forward with hunched shoulders. His eyes turned back to Ryohei, who seemed to have caught on to his intentions.

It was like a switch was turned. The usual dull blankness in the boxer's expression dissipated into a look that was unusually dark. "Don't you dare," he said through gritted teeth.

The blond-haired boy only laughed, suddenly shooting forward.

The next thing he knew, Ryohei's stomach blossomed in pain. He gasped, gaping at the claws that were currently lodged into his abs. His foe punched him in the face with his free hand, sending him sprawling to the floor.

Kyoko, who had been watching in shock until now, burst out, "Onii-chan!" She made a move to run over to her brother, but Hana chose that time to run over to the two girls and grabbed hold of her friend.

"No, Kyoko! Stay back!" Hana dragged her best friend away, but the auburnette resisted.

"Let go, Hana! I need to go to Onii-chan!"

"Kyoko-chan, we gotta get out of here!" Haru yelped, noticing that the enemy's attention was back on them.

Something akin to anger crept into Kyoko's voice as she grinded out, "I'm not leaving my brother behind."

But the boy was fast approaching, and Hana and Haru were still tugging at their friend to escape. Fortunately, Ryohei had clambered back onto his feet, completely ignoring the bleeding in his abdomen. He lunged at his attacker before he was too far away, sending them both crashing to the ground.

The boxer rolled forward and got back to his feet unsteadily, standing as a protective guard before his sister and her friends once again. He raised his fists, taking deep breaths.

Hissing, the strange teen got back to his feet as well. The others before had not resisted this much. Or rather, they were not nearly skilled enough to put up much of a fight. He gave a snort of disbelief. To think he would actually find a decent fight.

But he was wasting time. With a sigh, the attacker reached up to his mouth and tugged, pulling off a set of false teeth, much to the shock of the spectators. Underneath the false set were very normal teeth, although the canines were still sharper than one would expect on a normal human. He stowed the teeth into his jacket's inner pocket, pulling out another pair. He snapped the new pair in.

The moment the teeth snapped into place, the boy's hair suddenly grew out. His face stretched, becoming very ape-like, and it seemed like he grew a few feet. His hands and feet grew dramatically, as did the muscles across his previously skinny frame. He was completely unrecognizable. Haru screamed, trying to drag Kyoko away faster. The auburnette was staring dumbly at what just happened, turning limp in shock.

Ryohei was shocked as well but recovered quickly. He had many questions and he was very confused, but he knew one thing.

The creature before him was very dangerous and was not to be taken lightly.

"Get out of here! I'll hold him off!" he yelled over his shoulder to the girls, not once taking his eyes off his foe.

"I'd like to see you try, byon!" At the last word, the ape-like boy lumbered forward. His voice had turned deeper, but still retained its nasally quality. The ground shook with each step he took. He fisted his giant hand, throwing a speeding punch towards Ryohei. The boxer held up his arms to block, bracing himself for the blow.

It was much harder than he had anticipated and he realized his mistake when he heard a nasty crack in his left arm, followed by a stream of pain shooting up to his shoulder. He yelled, stumbling back a few feet from the force of the blow, his left arm hanging limply at his side.

He was not stupid. He dodged the next punch, only just barely. The wind that rushed past his face almost burned. For the first time in a truly long time, Ryohei felt fear.

He kept dodging his opponent's abnormally strong blows. The blond-haired boy seemed to get faster as he read Ryohei's movements. By ill chance, Ryohei missed one step, stumbling for half a second.

That was all his opponent needed to send a devastating punch to his face.

Ryohei flew into a wall, crying out in pain from the impact. He fell to the ground, groaning. Trying to right himself, he rolled onto his left arm and stifled another cry. He heard his sister screaming for him and he wanted so much to get up and reassure her that he was fine, that he was not finished, and that he would beat up the bad person.

Disappointment marred the blond-haired boy's face and he scoffed, "Aw, that was all? Really? I was beginning to enjoy myself. I guess I tried to wrap it up too fast…" He turned towards the girls, tilting his head curiously. "Ah shit, spectators again, byon. I guess I gotta get rid of them."

"Don't you dare!" Ryohei roared, finding the power to prop himself up. The animalistic teen looked pleased, turning his gaze back on his fallen opponent. He began stalking forward.

Kyoko was in a frenzy now. She was tugging desperately at Hana, trying to run to her brother. Her best friend was holding onto her just as desperately, trying to calm the girl down. Haru was staring numbly at the scene before her, face blank and unresponsive.

Finally shaking free, Kyoko dashed forward, screaming for her brother. Ryohei looked at her in shock as his adversary advanced towards her. He leapt forward, latching his good arm around the boy's. It took no effort for the blond-haired teen to dislodge him. He raised his fist up for another punch.

Stopping short, tears streaming down her cheeks and absolute desperation written across her face, Kyoko Sasagawa screamed, "Stop!"

A rush of wind swept past her towards her brother. The punch bounced off thin air. Kyoko's eyes widened. She could have sworn that a shower of yellow sparks exploded out when the monster's fist connected with thin air.

Clearly, the boy had no idea what had just stopped his punch. Before he had a chance to gather his thoughts, he stiffened, and suddenly leapt several paces away. The pavement where he'd been standing just a moment before was now splattered in purple goop. He growled at the offending mess, retreating with hunched shoulders.

Another purple projectile went flying towards him and he continued his retreat, roaring in disdain. The girls all stared in shock at the direction the projectiles had come from, seeing a familiar woman sitting high upon a telephone pole. Her rose-colored locks flowed in the wind and she brandished another object, which resembled a cake. She leapt down, landing gracefully. Dashing forward, she leapt over her mess without pause. The blond-haired boy jumped back as she tried to slam the cake into his face. He made to grab at her, but she twisted around and delivered a well-aimed kick into his face with her heeled boots.

Screaming, the boy stumbled back, barely escaping the next attack. Some of the purple substance landed on him and he gave a shrill cry, hissing and spitting as the poison eroded his skin.

Haru finally snapped from her shock to exclaim, "Is that…?"

"Bianchi-san?" Kyoko was in tears, but she managed to cry out the woman's name.

Bianchi ignored them in favor of continuing her assault. The boy was quickly losing and yanked his fake teeth out. He shrunk again, his hair returning to normal. He retrieved another pair and snapped them on.

His movements became faster and he leapt on top of the wall, hissing, "I'm done here anyways, byon. See you later, assholes!"

With inhuman speed, he ran away. Bianchi did not bother giving chase, clicking her tongue in distaste instead. She turned back to the girls, but they were all crowding around Ryohei. Kyoko was crying as her brother tried to reassure her that all was fine.

"No, you're not fine!" she cried, biting her lip in an attempt to stop her tears. "You had me so worried! I told you, after that time-" Unable to say more, she closed her mouth, pursing her lips in a hard line. She wiped at her eyes with her wrist, turning away from her brother.

Ryohei turned his head away as well, gritting his teeth in anger. It was not anger at the mysterious assaulter, nor was it at the fact that he had lost so pathetically.

It was because he had broken his promise to never let his sister cry over him again.

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><p><strong>[1] My beta pointed out that it was odd that I called Gokudera a "silverette" with an –ette ending, which denoted a more feminine noun. So I changed it to silveret. It's odd, but I think it makes a bit more sense. Kyoko's "auburnette" won't change though. <strong>

**[2] Random name. I figured it would not matter a lot since it would be her stepfather's name.**

**Holy cow guys, I've hit 120 reviews! Thank you so much to all my readers and reviewers! I really appreciate your continued support. I'll try really hard to update, but school really does get in the way, and I'm not a really good writer. Hah. **

**I've recently finished an incredible Pokemon fanfic that just had my emotions going in whirls with each shock or tragedy, and I feel like I'm just not making the most of the the term "fanfic." I try too hard to stick to canon, so I'm going to be a little braver about deviating. Characters will stay in character, of course, but I'm going to try and mix things up a bit more with the plot and development. **

**I apologize for the shorter chapter. But at least I didn't take like…3 months to update this time, right? I think a monthly update would be more realistic than bi-monthly at this rate. But like I said, the chapters are going to get shorter so that I can get more done in shorter amounts of time! **

**Thank you for reading, and please review if you have the time! Thank you, Shiki105, for beta-ing! You're amazing, oh my goodness. ;w; **

**Until next time!**

**~Alexie**


	14. And Then There Was One

_**Huge thanks for Shiki for beta-ing this chapter again! It always awes me how you seem to know my story better than me. Thank you so much. ;u; And thank you to all my readers for their support and reviews! Sorry for the long wait! **_

_**Last Chapter**_** -**** Nagi was hospitalized with critical injuries and only had a week left to live, unless she received the necessary implants in time. Her mother responded in vicious anger when the doctor asked her parents for organ donations, screaming that Nagi had left her son to die. Tsuna stayed the night at the hospital but was forced to go to school by Reborn. Meanwhile, the hitman stayed at the hospital to question Hibari's second-in-command, Kusakabe, who had been assaulted by the mysterious attackers in town. Discovering a clue about the assailants and their next targets, he sent Bianchi to go watch over the Sasagawa siblings. However, the enemy got to them first. Ryohei managed to protect the girls**** long enough for Bianchi to show up and save them. **

_**Warnings**_** – Violence and language**

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><p><em>Chapter 14: And Then There Was One<em>

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><p>Tsuna turned around to glance at Kyoko's still-empty desk. It was already halfway through the class period and she still hadn't shown up. Gokudera did not miss the way his boss kept checking between the clock and the auburnette's chair. He growled internally, irritated that the Sasagawa family seemed to give his boss so much trouble.<p>

When class was almost over, Tsuna finally noticed that Hana was not present either. Knowing that the two walked to school all the time, dread started to creep up his spine. As soon as the bell rang, he stashed all his belongings into his bag as fast as he could and headed for the door, Gokudera close at his heels. Yamamoto was just waking up from his usual class time nap and got up to follow his friends.

Tsuna headed straight for Ryohei's classroom and peered in. The boxer was nowhere in sight, causing the brunet's heart to drop. He turned around to see two pairs of concerned eyes on him.

"Tsuna, what's wrong? Who are you looking for?" Yamamoto glanced up at the room sign.

"Stupid baseball idiot! If you hadn't spent the entirety of first period drooling all over your desk, you would have noticed that Sasagawa and Kurokawa weren't there! And it seems Turf Top isn't either." He stopped talking, having noticed Tsuna's downcast expression. He hastily added, "I'm sure they're fine. Stupid as he is, Turf Top can hold his own."

"Only just barely, though." Reborn walked up behind the teens, causing them to jump.

"Reborn!" Tsuna exclaimed. He immediately assaulted him with questions, "Do you know where Kyoko and Onii-san and Hana are? Are they ok? What happened? Wha-HIIIIIIE!"

Reborn stopped his student's rambling with a harsh kick to his shin. Gokudera squawked and caught his boss before he could fall down. Curling his lips, Reborn addressed his student. "Tsuna, I'm disappointed. I thought I told you to stop screaming like that?"

Tsuna said nothing, his earnest caramel eyes meeting Reborn's onyxes. A tiny smirk crossed Reborn's face before he took off his hat, removing the slip of paper concealed in the brim. Without a word, he handed the slip to Tsuna.

Tsuna unfolded the paper and scoured the list. "One…Kyoya Hibari…Two, Takeshi Yamamoto. Three, Hayato Gokudera. Four, Ryohei Sasagawa. Five…" He looked up at Reborn in confusion. "What is this? The rest of these people are from Hibari-san's disciplinary committee! Well…maybe not Mochida-senpai, bu-hey, Reborn!"

Reborn started walking down the hall. "I'll explain on the way. Come on. I already excused you guys for the rest of the day."

"Where are we going?" Yamamoto chirped.

There was a pause before Reborn spoke again. "The hospital. Ryohei Sasagawa was attacked and wounded."

The three teens stopped in shock. Tsuna yelled, "What do you mean Reborn? Attacked? What hap-"

This time, Reborn kicked him in the head, scolding, "Not so loud here. Do you want the whole school to hear? Now hurry up, we don't have all day now that we know Rokudo's already made his move."

The group showed varying levels of shock in response to Reborn's mention of Mukuro Rokudo. They hurried out of the school and was greeted by a fancy limo. To their surprise, Dino was inside.

"It's you." Gokudera growled. His cigarette withdrawal had not helped his attitude at all.

Dino grinned and gave a small wave. "Nice to see you again too, Gokudera."

When they were on their way, Reborn did not waste time in explaining the situation. "As you already know, Ryohei was attacked . Kyoko, Haru, and Hana were with him too." Tsuna looked horrified and was ready to interrupt but a sharp glare from Reborn stopped him. "I sent Bianchi and she saved them all just in time. Only Ryohei was injured, though his injuries are nothing to sneeze at. The assailant was feral, almost like a beast. He fought with his brutal strength and claws."

"Th-That's him!" Tsuna suddenly exclaimed. "That's the guy who attacked me!" Reborn looked up at his student in mild surprise, although he had figured as much.

"We know now that he was sent by Rokudo. The other man, the one with the yo-yo is definitely from him as well. That makes two dangerous assassins running around. They were the two behind all the attacks as of late." He pointed at the list still in Tsuna's clutches. "This is their hit-list. In the mafia, when one boss challenges another boss, they attack the strongest members of the enemy family whilst leaving the boss alone. Rokudo's ploy is to challenge Tsuna by attacking the strongest people at Namimori Middle School, since he doesn't know who is in Tsuna's family. He must have assumed they would be people near him, which would be his classmates."

"Haha, that's really a really specific list though. It's numbered, as if it's a ranking." Yamamoto gently eased the paper from Tsuna's hands to look at it again. "He's definitely got first place right. Hibari might be the strongest person in all of Namimori."

"That bastard!" Gokudera punched the seat next to him, gritting his teeth. "How could he rank me below the baseball idiot?"

"That's hardly the problem right now, Gokudera." Dino frowned, casting a stern glance at the silver-haired teen. "The problem is that he's been working his way up the list. Ryohei was fourth, which makes you and Yamamoto the next targets. These two men have been easily taking down person after person. You need to be more careful from now on."

Gokudera crossed his arms and sat back, huffing. "I'd like to see that bastard try and attack me."

"Because you handled the last encounter with one of them _so_ well," Dino snorted.

"What was that?" the silveret hissed.

"Shut up. Both of you." Reborn said curtly, catching everyone's attention once again. "Dino is right. You two need to be very careful. The reason they left those pocket watches behind was to denote a countdown using the dial as numbers. Seems they stopped now, though. They've deliberately left this list behind for us. That means…" He looked up at the boys, eyes glinting. "He's tired of waiting."

Dino was pensive "If he's got them ranked this carefully, then we know what happened to Ranking Futa."

"What? You know where Futa is?" Tsuna cried.

"Most likely, Rokudo kidnapped him and forced him to make this list. If that's the case, we may be in trouble. Futa's rankings are very powerful. He could know our top weaknesses, our top strengths."

The car came to a stop. Tsuna looked helplessly at Reborn. "So..." Tsuna's eyes widened. "It's my fault everyone is getting hurt?" Reborn ignored him. Tsuna pressed further. "What…What do we do?"

Reborn stepped out of the car without a word to his student, prompting the teen to follow. "Reborn!"

The hitman ignored Tsuna and remained silent as he led the group through the hospital. Soon, they were in front of a room with Ryohei's nameplate on it.

All three girls were seated around the bed, which was occupied by Ryohei. His left arm was in a cast and he had a large bandage over his nose. Various bandages covered his body. A nurse was there, affixing a new bag of IV fluid to the stand beside his bed. He looked up at the new arrivals, eyes lighting up for a moment before his face clouded.

Tsuna flinched when Ryohei's steely eyes bore into him and he greeted, "Um…O-Onii-san…"

The room went quiet for a moment except for the sounds of the nurse going about her work. Tsuna looked down at the ground, blushing. What could he say? Where did he even start?

"Sawada-"

"I'm sorry! Onii-san, Kyoko, Haru, Hana, I'm sorry!" Tsuna suddenly blurted out, catching everyone by surprise. "Because of me…"

"Why are you apologizing so extremely?! You weren't the one who attacked me." Ryohei huffed, face scrunching in irritation. "He came after me specifically. He knew my name and everything." Despite his earnestness, Tsuna saw a spark of suspicion in Ryohei's eyes.

The nurse cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt your visit, but the patient needs to sleep. I must ask you all to leave. Visiting hours will be later."

"Sawada, come over here." Ryohei urged the brunet. Tsuna nodded and shuffled over, bending down to listen.

Ryohei pursed his lips in a hard line, speaking only loud enough for Tsuna to hear. "Protect Kyoko. I don't know what's going on, but I don't want her in danger again. I made her cry over me again because I couldn't take care of the bad guy. You know what's happening, don't you?" His eyes burned so strongly even in his state that Tsuna felt nervous. "Always do at everything with full energy…No, go beyond 100%. Stay active on your toes and fight vigilantly. You…owe me this much at least."

Tsuna was taken aback by the slight bit of venom in his last statement. Actually, the whole statement took him off guard. He could only nod and Ryohei cracked a weak smile as the drugs started to work their way through his system. The brunet watched as he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He caught a glimpse of the girls and finally took a closer look at them. Haru and Hana both looked downcast, but their discomfort was nowhere near the level of distress visible on Kyoko's face. It looked like she had been crying and she was trying hard to contain herself right now.

"Remember your family when danger is around. Don't give in to your personal feelings and focus your energy on protecting those important to you." Reborn hopped up onto Tsuna's shoulder as he spoke. When Tsuna looked confused, the hitman scoffed. "You asked me what to do. So I told you. There's nothing left for you to do but protect those still around. That's your duty as boss."

Tsuna looked at his distraught friends again and shook his head. "That's not right."

"Hm?" Reborn turned to his student.

"It's…" He frowned when Kyoko looked up at him. "It's my duty as their friend."

Instead of going back to school, Reborn took the teens to the park for another round of training. Tsuna found himself wanting to curl up into a ball under his covers, but knew he would never get away with it the way things were right now. He was burdened with a heavy responsibility that he was not sure he could handle. Still, he could not just leave his friends alone.

He was not completely ignorant. He remembered most of what happens when he is under the influence of Reborn's so-called Dying Will bullets. He knew he was fearless, powerful, and competent with its power flowing through his veins. The bullet gave him a boost confidence and took a little bit of his fear away.

While stretching, Tsuna asked, "Hey, Reborn?" When he had the hitman's attention, he asked, "Why can't you just shoot the Dying Will bullet into me for the fights? Why do I have to train so hard if I already have so much power with the bullet? I'd have enough regrets from dying right now anyways!"

Reborn scoffed, "You shouldn't depend on tools like that to be strong. Learn to be strong on your own."

"But there's no way I will be able to fight those crazy dangerous people anytime soon! I'll die!"

"You won't die. I'd sooner kill you than let them kill you."

"Wha…?" Tsuna blanched. "That's not reassuring at all!"

"Oh well. Time to get started. Start with one hundred pushups. You've been doing better under Ryohei's training, so you should be able to do it now. So start."

Without another word, Tsuna started his Spartan training session with Reborn. The soreness of his muscles was so common now that he found it easier to ignore. He tried to focus on Ryohei's words again, drawing motivation from that. He had never wanted anyone to get hurt because of him. It hurt to be alone, but it hurt even more to have people he cared about in danger.

"Oi, Tsuna. Tsuna!" Reborn's voice snapped him out of his musings. He looked at the hitman in confusion, seeing the tutor curl his lips in annoyance. "I told you to start running. You already finished everything else."

"O-Oh. Ok." He got to his feet and began his usual rounds around the park while Reborn watched him like a hawk.

_He's improved to the point where those workout reps are ingrained into his movements. I'm impressed he's came so far in a couple of weeks. He wasn't even paying attention anymore halfway through them. _Reborn mused as he watched the boy. _At this rate, he might be able to handle another bullet._

When Tsuna came back around for the second lap, the baby hitman hopped onto Yamamoto's shoulder. "You run with him too. Run as fast as you can. Try to go faster than him."

"Haha, alright!" Yamamoto chirped, starting off at a brisk pace. Tsuna saw Yamamoto catching up to him and squeaked when he saw Reborn as well. He knew this exercise well enough to not want Yamamoto to outpace him. The brunet picked up his jog into a fast run, fearing the gun aimed at him.

After a few hours of intense workouts, Tsuna collapsed for a long break. Gokudera was right there with cool drinks and lunch. Tsuna smiled gratefully at the silveret and accepted the food. He leaned back against the tree to catch his breath.

"So tired…" he mumbled, trying to uncap the bottle of juice. Gokudera gently took the bottle from him an opened it before handing it back. He frowned at Tsuna's shaking hands.

"Juudaime, are you ok?"

"Just more tired than usual. Never had to work so hard. Onii-san never worked me as hard as Reborn." Tsuna took a swig of the drink, downing half the bottle in one go. "But I have to keep at it. Everyone is getting hurt because of me, so I have to get stronger. But…"

Tsuna pulled his knees up to his chest before talking again. "I-I don't know what to do once I'm stronger. What if I get hurt more? What am I doing all this for? I never really wanted to be a mafia boss. I just wanted friends and to be worth something, if only a little, to those around me. And…" He grew silent.

He stretched his legs out, sighing. "Sorry, Gokudera-kun. You're so strong; you probably think I'm being stupid. I..I don't…" He stopped again, not willing to voice his thoughts. Instead, he cracked open his lunch bento and started to eat. "Thank you…For the food." He smiled at the silveret, who was still watching him carefully. Tsuna's smile dropped a little and he went back to his food.

Gokudera knew at some point that Tsuna's desire to help his friends was going to be at odds with his physical capabilities. His boss had the best of intentions for his friends, but there was only so much he was able to do at his level. Gokudera did not know how to help him other than pushing him to get better.

"I don't think you're stupid," he huffed. Tsuna turned in surprise. "I told you before. When it comes to yourself, you can't do squat. You have people around you to depend on. You don't have to shoulder everything yourself! I'm here!" Gokudera turned to him earnestly, emeralds blazing. "I'll help you get stronger so you don't have these kinds of thoughts anymore! I swear it on my title as your right-hand man!"

After hearing his inspiring words, Tsuna just did not have to heart to tell him off about the right-hand man business. He smiled and nodded. "I'm in your care then."

The silveret grinned in return.

After lunch, the group resumed training. Reborn had Tsuna dodge Yamamoto's ridiculously fast pitches again, some of which he was still unable to dodge, resulting in more than one painful bruise.

It was later in the afternoon when Reborn decided to pull out the big guns. "Hey, Gokudera, we're going to need your dynamite now."

"Dynamite…? Reborn, we aren't going to use dynamite here in the park, are we?" Tsuna exclaimed, whirling on the hitman.

"Sure, why not?"

"We can't trash the park! And isn't that really dangerous?"

"As opposed to your current situation? Knowing what danger feels like is a good thing. Now quit whining and let's start." Reborn turned to Gokudera again. "Just aim for him, just like during your duel. Tsuna needs to learn how to dodge in real life situations."

Hesitating, Gokudera said, "I think that's a little risky, though. What if I mess up and hurt Juudaime?"

"Then it's his fault. We don't have all day, so hurry up and start. I'll pay the costs for your supplies to make more dynamite later."

Reluctantly, Gokudera started to take out his dynamite. Yamamoto interjected, "Why don't we move somewhere else then? We really shouldn't make a mess of this pretty place, haha."

Tsuna could not understand how Yamamoto treated everything so nonchalantly. He was glad, however, that Reborn heeded his suggestion this time and sighed in relief. "Alright, let's go to the mountains then. No one will be there."

By the time they reached the mountains, the sun was starting to set and Tsuna was beyond exhausted. "Alright, Gokudera, start." Reborn commanded, sitting back to watch.

Gokudera and Tsuna exchanged a glance and the latter gritted his teeth and nodded. Setting his mouth in a tight line, Gokudera pulled the string of his dynamite and set it to ignite. Tsuna anticipated his first throw, especially since it seemed like Gokudera was going easy, and dodged it. Seeing that his boss was doing fine, the silveret picked up his pace and started to toss faster and in less predictable places.

Tsuna's vision started to blur with all the smoke and his ears rang from the explosions. Once in a while he narrowly escaped from a blast and the momentum pushed him into a tree or rock. Eventually, it was hard to tell left from right and he ran straight into the path of a blast. He cried out when the blast sent him sprawling across the ground and he managed to soften the impact. Gokudera stopped at once and ran towards his boss.

"Juudaime! Are you ok?" he cried, shaking Tsuna. With his eyes closed, Tsuna gave a slow nod and pushed himself up into sitting position. His breath came out in wheezes and he started to cough from all the smoke.

"We're not done yet. Keep going," Reborn said, hopping down from his tree.

Gokudera opened his mouth to protest, but Yamamoto beat him to it. "Haha, I think that's enough for today. Tsuna already worked out a lot. A break would be nice, eh? Let's go to my place for sushi!"

Tsuna said nothing, opening his eyes to look at Reborn. The hitman sighed before walking over and taking a seat on Yamamoto's shoulder. "Very well. Let's head down for the night. Tsuna still needs to do his homework."

With that, the teens started to head down the mountain. Reborn took one last look behind him as the others went ahead, frowning. Deciding not to say anything about the three girls hiding in the trees, he followed after the boys.

Once the boys were out of sight, Hana was the first to speak. "What the hell was that? My ears are still ringing from all that fricking dynamite! That's so dangerous! What were they even doing?"

"I…I have no idea…" Haru murmured, twisting his skirt in her hands. "Reborn was…kinda scary just now."

Kyoko said nothing, not sure what to make of it all. All she could see was the scary man…no, it was a beast. That beast that nearly killed her brother had dominated her thoughts throughout the day. She remembered the day she met I-Pin and Lambo and how scary that encounter had been.

"This mafia game is getting really serious," Haru nervously commented.

Kyoko shook her head. "I don't…I don't think this is a game anymore."

Hana glanced at her friend and frowned. She looked up at the sky and her frown deepened. "Well, no use standing around here in the middle of nowhere. Let's go home before it becomes too dark to see. We'll talk to those idiot boys tomorrow."

With that, the girls started after the boys.

Down at the base of the mountain, the boys continued the long trek to Yamamoto's sushi restaurant. When they finally reached there, Tsuna got his long awaited rest. He would have passed out on his feet if Gokudera had not shouldered his boss. Yamamoto and Gokudera led Tsuna to the sushi bar and helped him into a chair.

"Wow, Tsuna looks like death himself today. What happened, boys?" Tsuyoshi asked, raising his eyebrows at the boy slumped before him.

"Haha he was working out!" Yamamoto chimed, picking up Tsuna's favorite fatty tuna for him.

"That must have been quite the workout. Take it easy, yeah boys?" Tsuyoshi grinned, cutting up a piece of fish. "Don't overdo things, even if your bodies are at their prime. I wish I had as much energy as you got now! I'm just not what I was 30 years ago!" He laughed, placing out another plate of sushi before the teens. "Eat up! Gotta restore all that energy, eh?"

"Thanks, Pops!" Yamamoto grinned, offering food to his friends. Gokudera took it gladly, although he tried to eat slowly so as to not show just how famished he was. Tsuna, on the other hand, was still very out of it. A soft poke from Yamamoto brought him back to his senses and he squeaked a little.

"Th-Thanks for the food!" he cried out, fumbling for his chopsticks.

"Don't mention it, kid. Take care of yourself, eh?" Tsuyoshi grinned, going off to tend to another customer.

After dinner was over, it took a lot of coaxing (and a couple threats on Reborn's part) to finally get Tsuna to stand up. Now that he had let all his adrenaline leave, he was having difficulty even standing, let alone staying awake. He was ready to go home and sleep.

As if reading his mind, once the group was outside, Reborn piped up, "Tsuna, you have homework at home. Don't forget."

The brunet answered with a groan. Could Reborn just let it go for one night? As they walked through the chilly and dark streets of Namimori, Tsuna considered possible bargains he could strike up with Reborn. It was not like anything was due tomorrow anyways. His brain was processing his thoughts slowly, so it took half of the trip to finally come up with a good enough excuse. "Hey, Reborn-"

"Shh, Juudaime." Gokudera interrupted, suddenly stopping. The brunet ran into him, squeaking. Yamamoto had stopped as well, looking around with a frown. He had started to carry around his baseball bat as of late and had now taken it from his bag.

All was silent for a moment except for the buzzing of the streetlight overhead. The teens strained to listen, their eyes scanning the foreboding shadows before them. Tsuna wanted to ask them what they had heard but something in him was going crazy. He knew there was something very dangerous nearby.

He snapped his head to the right just as Reborn cocked his gun. "The right!" he screamed as a snarling beast burst from the shadows.

Yamamoto pushed the brunet out of the way at that instant whilst brandishing his bat. Fangs met metal in a grating screech. A shock of blond hair covered the beast's head and the group immediately knew who it was. Yamamoto grunted and pivoted, allowing the beast to surge past him. "What strength…" he breathed, positioning himself for the next assault. In the dim light of the lamp, he saw gouges where the fangs had met with his bat.

Tsuna started to head back to the group when his body stopped him again. _Above this time? _He looked up, catching a glint of silver near the lamp. "Gokudera-kun, up there!" He pointed at the lamp.

"Got it!" The bomber whipped out a few of his leftover sticks of dynamite, igniting and sending them flying in one fluid motion. The explosives met with a rain of needles and the tremor of the explosion rocked the quiet neighborhood. A few screams from within houses could be heard.

Reborn clicked his tongue. "Both of them are here this time, huh?" He took off at a run, shouting, "We need to run. At least to a different place."

"To the park!" Yamamoto shouted, serious for once. Gokudera pulled out a couple more bombs and threw them at the ground, creating a thick smoke screen.

"Oi, baseball idiot! I hope you know those guys aren't going to talk! You better be ready to fight for your life!" Gokudera shouted at Yamamoto.

"Yeah…I know…" he responded, face set in a deep frown.

Gritting his teeth, Tsuna started after his friends, pushing his exhausted body to keep moving, but he could feel himself falling behind. He could also feel their pursuers hot on their trail. Luckily, they were very close to the park and arrived in a matter of minutes. In the open space lit by lamps, they could face their attackers without worrying about civilian casualties.

"Stopped running, did ya now?" the familiar voice that spoke made Tsuna flinch and his healed wounds pricked with slight pain. The blond beast stepped out into the light, his fangs glinting.

"Chikusa Kakimoto and Ken Joshima. Known to be associated with Mukuro Rokudo for many years now." Reborn commented when both of the assassins appeared.

"Oh, the kid's done his research, hasn't he?" the beast grinned.

"Coming after the second and third on your list now, huh?" Gokudera snarled, feeling his pockets for whatever was left of his dynamite.

The blond beast seemed to want to speak again, but his companion silenced him. "Ken, we aren't here to chat. Take care of your target as planned."

"Aw, Kaki-pi, you ruin the fun, byon!" Ken pouted before turning back to stare rabidly at Yamamoto. "Oh well, I can settle for KILLING HIM."

Ken shot off at such a blinding speed that Yamamoto barely got out of the way. The baseball star grunted again, pushing off his back foot and making a bee-line for Ken.

_I'll try making the first move this time! _Yamamoto planted his forward foot adjacent to Ken's and swung his bat with all the might he could muster. To his shock, Ken's arm shot up and caught it without any effort. Before he could recollect his thoughts, the beast kicked Yamamoto straight in the stomach. The teen gasped, collapsing to his knees. His bat clattered to the ground, now a dented and bent mess.

"Yamamoto!" Tsuna screamed, running towards him.

"No, Juudaime, stay back! I got this!" Gokudera yelled, spinning and unleashing a round of smaller sticks of explosives. Tsuna stopped his approach and retracted his steps, not wanting to get caught up in the onslaught. Gokudera dashed over to Yamamoto before they detonated, covering his companion with his own body. The bombs exploded, several catching Ken. The other leapt out of the way again, escaping the explosives completely. Ken roared as his fur caught on fire. He ran over to a patch of open grass and started to roll on it.

Gokudera got back to his feet in the meantime, brushing off the dust on his clothes. "Get the hell up, baseball idiot!"

"Yeah…" Yamamoto winced, taking a shaky breath before grabbing his disfigured bat and getting to his feet. He hunched over a little, trying to control his breath. Tsuna started heading back towards his friends, not sure what he could do. Adrenaline kept him moving and alert.

Chikusa clicked his tongue, throwing his yo-yo forward and unleashing another volley of arrows. The two boys easily dodged this time, although Yamamoto stumbled a little from his earlier injury. That caught Chikusa's attention and he immediately directed his attacks at the weakened teen.

Tsuna reached Yamamoto just in time to shove the teen away, although he sent them both tumbling to the ground. As they tried to recover, Ken returned, heading straight for Gokudera. The bomber scoffed, tossing out several sticks of dynamite. Ken swiped at all of them, causing them to fly off trajectory and to the side.

"Shit!" Gokudera swore, taking a step back as he reached for more explosives. Ken caught up with him at this point, his jaws wide open to bite down on the bomber. With a daring idea in his head, Gokudera grit his teeth and stood his ground, withdrawing a small stick of dynamite and holding his arm in front of him to block the incoming beast. However, he was not strong enough to stop Ken's jaws, which enclosed forcefully on the bottom half of his forearm.

Gokudera let out a pained screamed, nearly letting go of the dynamite in his captured hand. Tsuna screamed out for his friend, but Chikusa said, "You don't have time to worry about others."

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto cried, grabbing the brunet and rolling out of the way of another flurry of needles. He had gotten his breath back and was ready to fight again. However, a glance down at his bat told him his chances of victory were slim.

Ken smirked with Gokudera's arm in his mouth. "You taste disgusting, byon! All that gunpowder from your explosives really ruins your flavor!"

"O-Oh?" Gokudera gritted out, trying to control his breathing. Shit, that really hurt. He tried to move his fingers, but his arm was going numb. It felt like something had been broken, much to his chagrin. He endeavored and shakily pulled the string of his dynamite, setting it ablaze. He immediately grabbed a fistful of Ken's hair and held fast.

Ken seemed to realize what Gokudera had done and tried to open his open his mouth, but the bomber forced his head down. The movement made the fangs puncture further into his flesh, but he fought back another scream. "Taste some mo-more of it then, asshole," Gokudera smirked.

The bombs exploded inside of Ken's mouth, setting the beast roaring in pain. Gokudera screamed again, stumbling back with his now freed, but mangled, arm. It hung limply at his side. "Sh-Shit that…that really…hurts…" he hissed, not daring to touch it. It did not respond to his will to move it and he wondered if he may have overdone it this time.

Ken was groveling on the ground, crying out in pain, his jaws gaping. Curling his lips, Gokudera stumbled over to him, bringing down a crushing foot atop his head. "Delicious, right, you sick freak?" When he tried to stomp on his head again, a dizzy spell brought on by the pain caused him to slip and fall instead. He landed on his side, where he stayed, clutching his bleeding arm.

Chikusa's eyes widened for a second at Ken's defeat but the moment he saw Gokudera fall, he did not waste the chance. Yamamoto seemed to notice that Chikusa's target had changed and threw himself forward, knocking Chikusa off balance. Yamamoto's eyes flitted to Gokudera's arm for a second and he felt his stomach churn. The instinct that kicked in back at the gang hangout flared up within Yamamoto again, and he poised himself to strike at his opponent lying below him. However, Chikusa rolled out of the way of the bat, which missed him by inches.

"Ken, can you still fight?" Chikusa called out, rolling to his feet and adjusting his glasses. Yamamoto gritted his teeth and charged at Chikusa, going for another hit.

The blond beast slowly got to his feet, his breath coming out in angry wheezes. Every breath seemed to hurt him. His eyes, bloodshot and ferocious, scanned around for Gokudera. Knowing that he was in danger, Gokudera hastily got to his feet, enduring his arm and running on pure adrenaline. "He's a monster…" he breathed, not believing that the beast was still moving after taking that much damage.

Ken said nothing, only roared and sped off after Gokudera. The bomber's eyes widened and he leapt out of the way just in time. He tossed out another smoke screen to buy himself time to come up with a new plan.

However, after losing his initial target, Ken sniffed out new prey. Yamamoto had his back turned, busy with his attack on Chikusa. He was far too busy to see Ken stalking towards him.

"Yamamoto, behind you!" Tsuna cried. His friend whipped around just in time to see Ken pounce on him. He held his bat up as a last ditch attempt at blocking Ken's fangs.

With a grating groan, Yamamoto's bat finally snapped in half from the attack. Ken spat out the bat and roared in pain. As he tried to side-step and escape, Ken's claws came down and gripped his arm like a vice. It seemed like the beast had no intention of using his mouth anymore. Yamamoto swung the remaining half of his bat at the beast, successfully getting Ken to let go.

Yamamoto barely had time to retreat before Chikusa was after him again. However, a stick of dynamite appeared right above the duo and Yamamoto immediately leapt back just in time to avoid most of the explosion's force.

Things were quiet for a while. Neither side made another move. Reborn had been watching from the sidelines since the start and did not like what he was seeing. The enemy had barely taken any damage and Gokudera and Yamamoto had already sustained substantial injuries. Tsuna had no way to fight and Reborn did not want to risk another Dying Will Bullet at the moment. Still, if worse came to worst, he could just step in. Right now, he wanted to see if the teens were capable of any more, although it looked like they were reaching their limits.

"Hm." Chikusa studied his opponents, eyes scanning over them. Ken sidled up to his side, sucking in pained breaths. Likewise, his eyes darted from person to person, lingering a little longer on Gokudera.

Chikusa said something too quietly for the three to hear, but Reborn could definitely discern his words. He started, turning to the teens. "He's going after-"

But by the time he started to talk, Chikusa already shot another round of needles at Yamamoto who was too distracted by them to notice Ken speeding towards him. Unexpectedly, Ken rushed past the baseball star without so much as a glance and raced straight for…

"Juudaime!" Gokudera screamed, catching onto Ken's ploy immediately and wasted not a second more in dashing to his boss. Yamamoto whipped around in shock and was caught by a few of Chikusa's needles. He was forced to pay attention to the enemy before him.

An enemy who was no longer in front of him. Yamamoto gasped, spinning around to try and find Chikusa. His wounds were throbbing and causing his mind to turn in circles.

Tsuna yelped and dived to the side, falling to the ground. He scurried to his feet as Ken made a turn and came after him again. It was clear that the beast was far faster than the brunet and he was almost overtaken when Gokudera sent a volley of mini explosives between the two, sending them careening in opposite directions. Yamamoto immediately headed towards the brunet, still on alert for Chikusa.

With a yelp, Tsuna rolled back to his feet, feeling utterly alone even though Gokudera and Yamamoto were but several feet away from him now. He turned to his tutor, screaming, "Reborn! I want to fight too! Help!" When he got no response, he tried to yell again, but a sudden sense of foreboding flared up within him.

Gokudera saw him first. There was movement up ahead of him and by pure instinct, he sprinted for Tsuna, who was looking in the wrong direction for the threat he had sensed. Yamamoto sensed him next and took off in his own mad sprint.

Tsuna was not quite sure what had knocked him off his feet again and yelled in alarm. In the next moment, he realized it was Gokudera. Then, he noticed that the silveret was not moving anymore.

"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna screamed, shaking his friend. His hand felt something wet and he choked when he saw it was blood. It was then that he saw the various needles protruding from Gokudera's entire upper body and how fast the blood from those fresh wounds was spreading. Yamamoto slid down next to Tsuna, keeping an eye on Chikusa and Ken, who were circling around the trio. Why were they not attacking?

"Hey, Gokudera-kun. Goku…Wake up! Wake up!" Tsuna started shaking him vigorously. Nagi flashed across his mind and he gasped, clasping both hands up to his mouth.

Yamamoto took the moment to direct his attention to his friends. "Tsuna, don't shake him so much! It will worsen the wounds!"

It was a mistake to take his attention off of their enemies. The moment his guard was dropped even a little bit, Chikusa and Ken closed in. Ken grabbed Yamamoto in a headlock, causing the teen to gasp and clutch at the beast's vice grip. Tsuna lurched forward towards Yamamoto but felt a prick at the back of his neck. His blood ran cold when he heard Chikusa's voice. "That's far enough."

"Took….long enough." Ken grated out. Yamamoto kept fighting against his grip, but the blond boy only tightened it.

Tsuna could only kneel there in shock, trembling violently. Unwanted tears started to drip down his face and he fought for control of his emotions, his thoughts going a mile a second.

"You…gotta be kidding. This…crybaby…is who Mukuro-sama's challenging?" Ken gave a harsh laugh. Yamamoto's struggles were becoming weaker. "He let his…subordinates fall like that. He only…ran!" Despite his stinging mouth, Ken did not waste the chance to gloat. It was a hard-earned victory after all.

Tsuna was choking on his tears trying to stop them, but he did not dare move. He shakily hung his head, trying to hide his face from the taunting enemies. He never wanted this. He always thought that taking beatings and abuse from bullies was painful. But watching his friends literally sacrifice themselves for him tore far more excruciating wounds in him. What a sick and cruel twist. He thought having people defend him would feel great; to feel loved and protected was supposed to be nice. Not like this.

Not like this at all.

Yamamoto had completely stopped moving now. Ken scoffed and released his grip, letting the teen collapse in a heap on the ground. "What now, byon?" he asked Chikusa.

"Mukuro-sama is tired of waiting. We might as well bring him with us. Number one was already taken down anyways."

The hitman started. They could only have mean Hibari. Was he defeated?

"Let's go then. My…mouth's hurting like a bitch." Ken sucked in a breath and hissed in pain. He stalked forward and grabbed Tsuna's thin arm in his giant hand, yanking the brunet forward.

So fragile. So frail. So weak. Tsuna could do absolutely nothing. Oh, how he wished he could fight.

"Re-Reborn." Tsuna sobbed.

_Help._

Reborn could step in and fix everything right now. Chikusa and Ken were easy prey for him. Gokudera and Yamamoto had already done everything they could at their current level. Reborn could easily stop things right now. Chikusa and Ken seemed to have forgotten about his presence, or had not noticed it at all.

It would be so easy.

Leon transformed in a burst of technicolor, lighting up the dark night. Reborn clicked off the safety and took aim. The bullet shot smoothly out of his gun and connected with its target.

"That makes six." Reborn breathed as Tsuna gasped and fell forward, the blood spurting from the back of his head. Chikusa and Ken cried out in alarm, both of their gazes shooting straight to Reborn.

"H-He killed the crybaby!" Ken screamed. "What the fuck was that?"

Chikusa was at more at a loss for words than usual. "Wha-?"

A fist connected with Chikusa's jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. Without a break in step, a foot slammed into Ken's stomach and he went careening back. The two stared in shock at the transformed brunet, unable to form coherent words.

Tsuna's Dying Will flame flickered savagely to match the ferocious expression on his face. He unleashed an enraged shout and leapt on top of Chikusa, delivering another crushing punch to his face, breaking his opponent's glasses. Then he punched again, and again, and again. Chikusa grunted in pain with each fist and tried to fight off the raging brunet atop him to no avail.

The onslaught only stopped when Ken reached out to pull Tsuna off. The brunet transferred his attention to the beast immediately, planting his arms behind him and kicking his feet up in a back-flip. He hooked his knees around Ken's neck and held fast. Using the momentum of his flip, he continued to spin, sideways now, and used the force of his spin to knock Ken off balance and send him crashing down.[1] He kept his knees around Ken's neck and proceeded to choke him. Ken started to gag and tried to pry off Tsuna's legs.

Tsuna only let go when Chikusa finally collected himself enough to attack the brunet. He immediately flipped away from the duo.

"Wh-What the hell is he?" Ken gasped and took a deep gulp of air. Chikusa shook his head, never taking his eyes off of the glowing brunet.

Without giving them a chance to regroup, Tsuna sped forward and hurled a punch at Ken. The beast caught it just in time and grunted as he was shoved back by the sheer force of the attack. Tsuna continued to drive his opponent back with pure power and Ken's eyes widened in realization.

For the first time since he had gained his beastly powers, he was being overpowered in strength.

"O-Oi! Y-you're kidding!" Ken cried. He was forced to dodge when Tsuna sent his free fist forward. The brunet stood there heaving savagely.

"Ken, let's leave. We did what we were sent out to do," Chikusa said, clutching his face. "Leave him to Mukuro-sama."

Ken nodded numbly, taking several steps back. He announced, "We had our fun. Smell you later, crybaby!" He turned tail and sprinted away. Chikusa disappeared into the shadows. Just like that, the two assassins were gone.

Tsuna was ready to give chase, but Reborn kicked his student in the head. However, the brunet did not seem like he was ready to quit and started forward again. Clicking his tongue, Reborn leapt up towards Tsuna for another kick. However, the teen turned around with a feral snarl, swiping at the baby. Reborn dodged in midair and landed on Tsuna's head, cocking his gun with a loud snap. "That's _enough,_ Tsuna!"

The night suddenly filled with an uncomfortable silence. Seconds ticked by as Tsuna's flame began to dim and wither. Sensing his student was ready to topple, Reborn hopped off. Leon turned into a cell phone just as Tsuna phased out of his Dying Will and collapsed.

Reborn noticed right away that his student was trembling violently, his eyes wide. Fearing the consequences of the shot, he asked, "Oi, Tsuna, what's wrong?"

Tsuna's mouth was gaping as if he was trying to speak. He could not move his arms and legs at all. He was not even sure how to move his body. Was he saying anything? His delirious eyes fluttered to Reborn, who seemed to be saying something. Tsuna could not hear him. He wanted to ask him to speak up, but he was not sure how to move his mouth anymore.

He hoped he'd done enough. Were Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun safe? Were the enemies gone? Why could he not remember a single thing from his fight?

He could feel his head splitting open though. Joy, it was that horrible headache again. Why was he getting so many of those lately? Somewhere through the pain, dark waters seemed to flood his mind. He was quickly going under. The water drowned out everything around, including the pain.

Ah the darkness. Sweet, sweet oblivion.

Reborn watched as Tsuna passed out again. "So he wasn't ready yet…" He pursed his lips, dialing a number. "Dino bring the ambulance to the park. We need to get to the hospital now." He hung up and dialed Shamal's number.

The doctor picked up after three rings, groaning, "Reborn, this is a really bad time."

The hitman could hear a woman giggling in the background, but said, "Don't care. Meet me at the Vongola's hospital. You better be there by the time I arrive."

Dino reached the park very quickly after the call. He frowned at the unconscious trio as he helped them into the ambulance. "They couldn't handle Rokudo's men?"

"They held their own for a little while, but they were outclassed from the start. I had Tsuna finish up the fight," Reborn replied. "The bullet is still too much for him. The reaction from it was much worse this time. And look." He pointed at the near-naked boy. "There are more lesions this time. I want Shamal's assessment on his condition."

Dino and Reborn sat in silence on the way to the hospital. The siren numbed out Reborn's senses, leaving him with his thoughts. Tsuna's behavior had been a surprise to him. It was unrestrained, as if he acted on pure instinct. Not to mention that his student was reacting worse to the bullet that served as his only source of power.

The situation just got a lot more complicated. For a second, Reborn doubted his choice, but he quickly perished the thought. He was never wrong about his choices, so he was determined to see this student through to the end.

_But you were wrong once in your life. Your past life._ That nagging thought sent the hitman into a bout of irritation.

Shamal was in a worse mood when everyone showed up. Reborn ignored the grumbling doctor and said, "Shamal, do a check up on Tsuna."

After catching sight of the brunet, Shamal's bad mood seemed to lift a little. "Well, looks like the Skullitis got worse. What did you do?"

"Shot him."

Shamal gave Reborn a withering look. The baby shrugged. "He asked me to. The situation warranted it."

"Well, thanks to that, he's even worse off now." Shamal studied one of the lesions. "It's at the stage where his actions should be sporadic. Did anything of the sort happen?"

Reborn recounted Tsuna's feral reaction. "He definitely didn't act like himself in his Dying Will. He's usually restrained and unwilling to hurt his enemies, but he was ruthless this time. He tried to swipe at me when I tried to stop him."

"Sounds 'bout right," Shamal mumbled. "And his post-Dying Will reaction?"

"Severe trembling, and it appeared like he lost all of his senses and motor skills. He passed out almost immediately."

Shamal chewed on that information for a bit. "That's new." With a sigh, he snapped his fingers. His mosquito flew out from Reborn's hat and landed on Tsuna. "Increase dosage to one third," he commanded the mosquito. The insect did as it was told before going back to Reborn.

The doctor turned to the hitman, eyebrows furrowed, "No more shots if you know what's good for him. I can tell he put on a little weight and muscle, but it's not nearly enough. His body mass index is still far too low."

"I can't make that promise. Rokudo has been coming after him. The last of his family just got defeated today. I don't think they can fight for a while."

"Why can't you take care of Rokudo then?"

Reborn looked up at the doctor with his onyx eyes. After a while, Shamal broke eye contact with a sigh. "Do what you will. The kid's life is in your hands. Now if you'll excuse me." He headed to the door. "I got a lady friend waiting for me."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh man, when I started this chapter, I was having a hard time even getting 3000 words down. Once I got to the fight, it just suddenly turned into 8000. Jeez. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the long wait again. <strong>

**I've been drawing a lot lately to try and improve more. I had a ton of fun selling at Anime Expo but seeing how good everyone was around me made me want to pick up my game. I wanted to take advantage of the summer to draw as much as I can before I have to go back to school. I'll try to update once more before school starts, but no promises, as usual. I daresay my next update might not come until Christmas time, cry. I'm so sorry for my inconsistency, you guys! ;_; **

**[1] If you're having a hard time visualizing this, Google image "martial arts girl taking down male opponent"**** and click on the first one with the man and girl in blue gi's(martial art uniforms). It should be an animated gif. Shit is REALLY badass. Trust me when I say you should take the time to look it up.  
><strong>

**Thanks again guys! Love you all for reading and reviewing!**

**Cheers,**

**Alexie**


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